Maine § 6203-B. - Maine Working Waterfront Access Protection Fund

§ 6203-B.. Maine Working Waterfront Access Protection Fund

1.  Fund established.  The Maine Working Waterfront Access Protection Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund," is established and is administered by the board in cooperation with the Commissioner of Marine Resources under the provisions of this chapter and Title 12, section 6042. The fund consists of the proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized for the purposes set forth in subsection 3 and funds received as contributions from private and public sources for those purposes. The fund must be held separate and apart from all other money, funds and accounts, except that eligible investment earnings credited to the assets of the fund become part of the assets of the Land for Maine's Future Trust Fund. Any balance remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year must be carried forward for the next fiscal year.

2.  Grants.  The board may make grants to state agencies and cooperating entities for the purposes identified in subsection 3. Grants are made according to rules adopted by the board. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.

3.  Fund proceeds.  The proceeds of the fund may be applied and expended to acquire property or interests in property that are designed to protect access to working waterfront property consistent with the provisions of Title 12, section 6042. The board shall include as a condition of an acquisition or grant made under this section the requirement that the protected property may not be used, altered or developed in a manner that precludes its use by a commercial fisheries business consistent with the provisions of Title 33, chapter 6‑A. Consistent with the provisions of Title 12, section 6042, working waterfront covenants obtained through expenditures of these funds are held by the Commissioner of Marine Resources.

4.  Matching funds.  For each grant made under this section, the board shall require the grant recipient to provide matching funds at least equal to the amount of the grant.