An Act To Improve the Effectiveness of the Maine Coastal and Inland Surface Oil Clean-up Fund
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0596
Committee: Natural Resources
Sponsors: BROMLEY, RICHARDSON, BRENNAN, HALL, ROTUNDO, SHOREY, STRIMLING, SUSLOVIC
Amends: 38 MRSA §551

Legislative Document 
No. 596 
S.P.205 
In Senate, February 11, 2003 
An Act To Improve the Effectiveness of the Maine Coastal and 
Inland Surface Oil Clean-up Fund 
Reference to the Committee on Natural Resources suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator BROMLEY of Cumberland. 
Cosponsored by Representative RICHARDSON of Brunswick and 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senators: BRENNAN of Cumberland, HALL of Lincoln, ROTUNDO of Androscoggin, 
SHOREY of Washington, STRIMLING of Cumberland, Representative: SUSLOVIC of 
Portland. 
Printed on recyc led paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §551, first" as amended by PL 1995, c. 399, 
§2 and affected by §2l, is further amended to read: 
The Maine Coastal and Inland Surface Oil Clean-up Fund is 
established to 
be 
used 
by 
the 
department 
as 
a 
nonlapsing, 
revolving fund for carrying out the purposes of this subchapter. 
The fund is limited to $9 TGGG TGGG $7, 000, 000, the sum of which 
includes all funds credited under this section. The Department of 
Environmental Protection shall collect fees in accordance with 
subsection 
4. 
To 
this 
fund 
are 
credited all 
license 
fees, 
penalties, reimbursements and other fees and charges related to 
this 
subchapter, 
and to this 
fund 
are 
charged 
any 
and all 
expenses of the department related to this subchapter, including 
administrative 
expenses, 
costs 
of 
removal 
of 
discharges 
of 
pollutants, restoration of water supplies and 3rd-party damages 
covered by this subchapter. 
Sec. 2. 38 MRS A §551, sub-§I-A, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 454, 
§8, is amended to read: 
I-A. 
Sensitive area data management 
and mapping. 
The 
Legislature may allocate no more than $350, 000 per year of the 
amount then currently in the fund RBt:il--f-i-s.£.aJ--ye-a-F--l994-9§ to 
mapping, 
data 
management 
and 
computerization related to 
the 
protection of sensitive areas 
and similar activities required 
under section 546-B. 
This limitation does not include personnel 
costs. 
The allocations must be made in accordance with section 
555. 
A~t:e~-~-i£.£~~-~--~~~~~r-t:Re-~-s~~~~~~-~~~w-t:Re 
Beee-~e~-t:Rese-aet:ivit:ies-BeE9Fe-alleeat:iB~-aeeit:i9aal-ERaeST 
Sec. 3. 38 MRS A §551, sub-§l-B. as enacted by PL 1993, c. 720, 
§3, is amended to read: 
I-B. 
Research and development. The Legislature may allocate 
not more than $lGGTGGG $250,000 per annum of the aFR9RBt: first 
$6, 000, 000 currently in the fund and not more than $750, 000 per 
annum of the amount in excess of $6,000,000 currently in the fund 
to be devoted to research and development in the causes, effects 
and removal of pollution caused by oil, petroleum products and 
their by-,products on the marine environment and to research and 
development in the characterization of the marine ecosystem, 
especially the subtidal and benthic habitat and fisheries that 
may be damaged by oil, petroleum products and their by-products. 
Researchers shall use commercial fishing vessels as platforms to 
the 
extent 
practicable. 
Such 
allocations 
must 
be 
made 
ln 
accordance with section 555. 
This subsection takes effect July 
1, 1996. 
Sec. 4. 38 MRSA §551. sub-§4. llE. as enacted by PL 1991, c. 
817, §16, is amended to read: 
Page l-LR1755(1) 
E. 
will 
When the commissioner projects that the fund 
reach 
$STGGGTGGG 
$7,000,000, 
the commissioner 
balance 
shall 
provide a 15-day notice that the per barrel fees assessed 
under this subsection will be 
suspended. 
The 
$STGGGTGGG 
$7,000,000 fund limit may be exceeded to accept transfer 
fees assessed or received after the 15-day notice has been 
issued. 
Following any suspension of fees assessed under 
this subsection, 
the commissioner shall provide 
a 
15-day 
advance notice to licensees before fees are reimposed. 
SUMMARY 
This bill increases funding for the Maine Coastal and Inland 
Surface Oil Clean-up Fund to provide for research and development.