Section 247.660s - Maritime and port facility assistance office; responsibilities and duties(1) The maritime and port facility assistance office is created in the department. The office shall do both of the following: (a) Assist owners of port facilities in this state by doing all of the following: (i) Administering the grant program as described in subsection (2).(ii) Developing a statewide strategic maritime plan.(iii) Identifying federal funding opportunities to which owners of port facilities can apply.(iv) Providing technical assistance to integrate and take advantage of the maritime resources of this state in moving goods within and through this state to support a global economy in a sustainable manner.(b) Perform the duties described in the maritime and port facility assistance grant program act.(2) The office shall implement and administer the grant program by doing all of the following: (a) Awarding grants to publicly or privately owned port facilities for the purposes described in the maritime and port facility assistance grant program act.(b) Establishing criteria for awarding grants consistent with the maritime and port facility assistance grant program act, and based on the impact the project will have on all of the following: (i) Direct port facility activity.(ii) Increasing the amount or value of freight moving through the port facility.(iii) Overall economic development or transportation opportunities in the region.(c) Receiving and reviewing grant applications under the maritime and port facility assistance grant program act and prescribing the form, nature, and extent of the information that must be contained in a grant application.(d) Before disbursing grant money under the maritime and port facility assistance grant program act, entering into a grant agreement with the grant recipient.(3) As used in this section: (a) "Grant program" means the maritime and port facility assistance grant program created in section 5 of the maritime and port facility assistance grant program act.(b) "Office" means the maritime and port facility assistance office created in subsection (1).Added by 2022, Act 158,s 2, eff. 7/19/2022.