OH SB124

Creates the Ohio Maritime Assistance Program administered by the Department of Transportation to award grants to port authorities for maritime cargo terminal projects on Lake Erie, the Ohio River, or Lake Erie tributaries

Port authorities are eligible if they own an active marine cargo terminal or are planning and constructing a new marine cargo terminal at one of the specified waterways

Grant applications must demonstrate the project will increase terminal efficiency or capacity, handle new cargo types, meet supply chain needs, or benefit Ohio exporters and manufacturers; applications failing to meet these criteria are ineligible

Eligible uses of grants include land acquisition, construction of harbor infrastructure (wharves, dredging, channels), warehouse and terminal facilities, cargo handling equipment, and planning services

Appropriates $10,000,000 for each fiscal year 2020 and 2021 from the state treasury to the Ohio Maritime Assistance Fund; port authorities must provide a 1:1 matching funds contribution for each grant dollar received