1. The state may make grants to a state port fund, as appropriated by the general assembly, to be allocated by the department of transportation to local port authorities or regional port coordinating agencies. These grants, administered on a nonmatching basis, could be used for managerial, engineering, legal, research, promotion, planning and any other expenses.

2. In addition the state may make capital improvement matching grants contributing eighty percent of the funds and local port authorities contributing twenty percent of the funds for specific undertakings of port development such as land acquisitions, construction, terminal facility development, port improvement projects, and other related port facilities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any matching grants awarded by the Missouri highways and transportation commission under the Port Capital Improvement Program shall be transportation related.

3. The grants provided herein may be used as the local share in applying for other grant programs.