Clean Vessel Act
Active
- Assistance listing
- 15.616
- Agency
-
Fish and Wildlife Service
Department of the Interior
- Grant awards
- 699 $216,416,807 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- CVA
- Assistance type
-
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 14-8151-0-7-303
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service awards grants under the Clean Vessel Act (CFDA 15.616) to state and territorial agencies for construction, renovation, operation, and maintenance of pumpout stations, waste reception facilities, and pumpout boats serving recreational boaters, with the most recent award made July 1, 2026.
The program funds concrete marine sanitation infrastructure: installation of new or replacement pumpout stations and dump stations at public and private marinas, acquisition and operation of mobile pumpout boats, floating restroom facilities, and education and outreach campaigns informing boaters of facility locations and the environmental benefits of proper sewage disposal. Recent awards illustrate the scope: Massachusetts received $1.65 million to operate a 100-plus-member public-private partnership maintaining over 1,500 miles of coastal and river pumpouts; Florida received combined awards of nearly $2.94 million for 36 pumpout projects across inland and coastal areas; Connecticut received $2.01 million for statewide stationary and mobile facilities; Washington State received $4 million across two awards to construct and maintain sewage disposal infrastructure.
Approximately 699 grants have been awarded since 2001. Award volume is declining modestly—24 awards in 2025 and 5 awards through July 2026—but the program remains active. Combined federal dollars obligated total $216.4 million, with recipients providing $82.7 million in non-federal cost-share, bringing total project value to $299.1 million. Awards are predominantly Project Grants (97 percent), with small numbers of Formula Grants (2 percent) and Block Grants (1 percent). The Fish and Wildlife Service's central office and regional offices (particularly Region 5, Region 4, and Region 1) account for 91 percent of awards and 93 percent of federal dollars obligated. Typical individual award magnitudes range from $30 thousand to $2 million, with most falling between $300 thousand and $1.5 million.
Eligible applicants are governor-designated agencies in the 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. Applications have been posted annually on a predictable cycle: the most recent NOFO (F26AS00013) was posted April 24, 2026 with a July 22, 2026 due date; the prior cycle (F25AS00428) posted August 14, 2024 with a November 25, 2024 due date. Funds must be obligated within the first three fiscal years of availability, with a recommended three-year grant period of performance. Facilities constructed, operated, or maintained with CVA funds must remain accessible to the general public for their useful life and must display mandatory signage visible to boaters on the water.
Objective and description
- Objective
This program provides funding to States, the District of Columbia, Commonwealths, and territories for the construction, renovation, operation, and maintenance of sewage pumpout stations, waste reception facilities, and pumpout boats for recreational
- Description
The purpose of the Clean Vessel Act (CVA) program is to provide grants to States and Territories for pumpout stations and waste reception facilities to safely dispose of recreational boater sewage and keep waters clean. The program is funded by revenues collected from excise taxes on motorboat fuel, certain electric motors and fishing equipment, and import duties on fishing tackle and yachts deposited into the Sport Fish Restoration Trust Fund. Signage must be displayed and visible to boaters on the water, and facilities constructed, operated, or maintained with CVA funds must be accessible to the public for all of its useful life.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Agencies from the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa may submit grant proposals to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
- Beneficiary eligibility
General public, recreational boaters, municipalities, and private marinas within eligible States, the District of Columbia, Commonwealths, and territories.
- Uses of assistance
This program authorizes matching funds on a competitive basis for installing, operating and maintaining sewage pumpouts and dump stations for recreational boats in the coastal zones (where applicable) and inland zones of States, the District of Columbia and insular areas; and for construction of sewage pumpouts and dump stations for recreational boats; and for implementation of education programs.
- Use restrictions
This program authorizes matching funds on a competitive basis for installing, operating and maintaining sewage pumpouts and dump stations for recreational boats in the coastal zones (where applicable) and inland zones of States, the District of Columbia and insular areas; and for construction of sewage pumpouts and dump stations for recreational boats; and for implementation of education programs.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Funds must be obligated into a grant within the first 3 fiscal years that it is available. Grant period of performance is recommended to be 3 years.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State, the District of Columbia, Commonwealth or territory for more information on this process when applying for assistance.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
The Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will select projects based on established criteria included in the NOFO and available funding.
- Award procedure
Regional Offices make awards to approved applicants.
- Appeals
Regional Directors will consider differences of opinion over the eligibility of proposals. Final determination rests with the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| F26AS00013 FY 2026 Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Notice of Funding Opportunity | Closed | ||
| F25AS00428 - FY 2025 Clean Vessel Act (CVA) | Closed | ||
| F24AS00466 - FY 2024 Clean Vessel Act (CVA) | Closed | ||
| F23AS00407 - FY 2023 Clean Vessel Act (CVA) | Closed | ||
| FY 2022 Clean Vessel Act (CVA) | Closed | ||
| FY 2021 Clean Vessel Act (CVA) | Closed | ||
| Clean Vessel Act | Closed | ||
| Clean Vessel Act | Closed | ||
| Clean Vessel Act | Closed | ||
| Clean Vessel Act, Fiscal Year 2016 | Closed | ||
| Clean Vessel Act Grant Program | Closed |
Show all 11
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 699 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission | $23,716,794 | 11% |
| 2 | Florida Department Of Environmental Protection | $21,276,891 | 10% |
| 3 | Dept Of Energy & Environmental Protection | $19,072,810 | 9% |
| 4 | California Department Of Parks & Recreation | $16,565,431 | 8% |
| 5 | Arkansas Department Of Health | $14,547,123 | 7% |
| 6 | Massachusetts Department Of Fish And Game | $14,479,215 | 7% |
| 7 | New York State Environmental Facilities Corp | $8,658,356 | 4% |
| 8 | State Of Maryland Department Of Natural Resources | $6,027,655 | 3% |
| 9 | South Carolina Department Of Natural Resources | $5,702,238 | 3% |
| 10 | Department Of Environmental Protection Maine | $4,638,448 | 2% |
10 of 54 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $1,086,885 |
| FY2025 | $9,232,765 |
| FY2024 | $14,733,529 |
| FY2023 | $11,146,803 |
| FY2022 | $12,045,281 |
| FY2021 | $19,140,428 |
| FY2020 | $11,813,300 |
| FY2019 | $14,227,371 |
| FY2018 | $10,033,843 |
| FY2017 | $13,765,325 |
| FY2016 | $7,606,771 |
| FY2015 | $16,498,946 |
| FY2014 | $13,576,713 |
| FY2013 | $9,065,453 |
| FY2012 | $9,735,581 |
| FY2009 | $5,721,879 |
| FY2008 | $9,614,067 |
| FY2007 | $14,124,338 |
| FY2005 | $7,935,681 |
| FY2004 | $2,419,921 |
| FY2002 | $217,000 |
| FY2001 | $2,900,936 |
Show all 22
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 15.616?
Assistance Listing 15.616 is Clean Vessel Act, a federal grant program run by Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior).
What is the CFDA number for Clean Vessel Act?
Its CFDA number is 15.616: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 15.616 awarded?
699 grant awards under 15.616 have obligated $216,416,807 in federal funds to 54 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 15.616?
The recipients obligated the most under Clean Vessel Act are Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission ($23,716,794), Florida Department Of Environmental Protection ($21,276,891) and Dept Of Energy & Environmental Protection ($19,072,810).
How much did 15.616 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 15.616 obligated $9,232,765 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 15.616?
No opportunity listed under 15.616 is open now. The latest, F26AS00013 FY 2026 Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Notice of Funding Opportunity, was posted on April 24, 2026.
On GovTribe
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