An Act To Permit Sebago Lake Mooring Extensions
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1255
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: CRESSEY, BENNETT, BRUNO, HONEY, MARLEY, MOORE, SHERMAN, SNOWE-MELLO, GILMAN, TURNER
Amends: 12 MRSA §7807

Legislative Document 
No. 1255 
H.P.929 
House of Representatives, March 6, 2003 
An Act To Permit Sebago Lake Mooring Extensions 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative CRESSEY of Baldwin. 
Cosponsored by Senator BENNETT of Oxford and 
/7l~ 
/J7·17IdC~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BRUNO of Raymond, HONEY of Boothbay, MARLEY of Portland, 
MOORE of Standish, SHERMAN of Hodgdon, SNOWE-MELLO of Poland, Senators: 
GILMAN of Cumberland, TURNER of Cumberland. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, Acts of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted 
as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the boating 
before the 
90-day period 
legislation passed in the 
Legislature; and 
season on Sebago Lake will commence 
expires 
for 
the effective date of 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts 
create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of 
Maine 
and 
require 
the 
following 
legislation 
as 
immediately 
necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and 
safety; now, therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §7807 is enacted to read: 
§7807. 
Sebago Lake moorings 
1. 
Definitions. 
As 
used 
in this 
section, 
unless 
the 
context 
otherwise 
indicates, 
the 
following 
terms 
have 
the 
following meanings. 
A. 
"Harbor master" means an enforcement official appointed 
under section 7803 or, in the absence of a municipal harbor 
master, 
an 
enforcement 
official 
appointed 
by 
the 
commissioner pursuant to chapter 705. 
5. "Lake" means Sebago Lake. 
C. 
"Mooring" has the same meaning as in Title 38, section 
480-5, subsection 5-A. 
D. "Normal high-water line" has the same meaning as in Title 
38, section 480-5, subsection 6. 
2. 
Moorings. 
A mooring may be located on Sebago Lake up to 
feet from the normal high-water line of the lake. 
A mooring 
must be removed from the lake by the same date that a harbor 
master requires boats to be removed from the lake. 
A mooring for 
a property owner with lakeside property may not be located in 
front of an adjoining property or hinder boaters or swimmers 
unless the location is necessary at the discretion of the harbor 
master. 
3. 
Extended limit. 
A mooring may be located up to 600 feet 
from the normal high-water line of the lake if the location is 
within a 
cove or in the mouth of a cove. 
A mooring located 
Page l-LR1392(1) 
.. 
farther than 200 feet from the normal high-water line of the lake 
must be illuminated from dusk to dawn during boating season. 
A 
harbor master may charge an extra fee for 
a 
mooring located 
between 200 feet and 600 feet from the normal high-water line of 
the lake. 
The fee charged pursuant to this subsection must be 
used to pay for the enforcement of this section and other duties 
required of the harbor master. 
4. 
Exceptions. 
The provisions of this section do not apply 
to those portions of Sebago Lake under the jurisdiction of the 
Portland Water District. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the 
preamble, this Act takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides for a limit of 200 feet from shore for 
the 
placement 
of 
a 
mooring 
on 
Sebago 
Lake 
and 
allows 
the 
placement of a mooring up to 600 feet from shore in a cove or 
mouth of a 
cove in Sebago Lake. 
A mooring placed beyond the 
200-foot limit may require an extra fee, which will be used for 
harbor master expenses, and must be illuminated from dusk to dawn 
during boating season. 
Moorings may not be placed in front of 
the property of an adjoining property owner and must be removed 
by the same date that the harbor master requires the removal of 
boats from the lake. 
This bill does not apply to those portions 
of Sebago 
Lake 
under the jurisdiction of the Portland Water 
District.