An Act To Amend the Laws Regarding the Location of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0777
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: COLLINS, CARPENTER, BOWEN, BROWN, CROSTHWAITE, MURPHY, PEAVEY-HASKELL, RECTOR, STONE

Legislative Document 
No. 777 
H.P.576 
House of Representatives, February 18, 2003 
An Act To Amend the Laws Regarding the Location of the Wells 
National Estuarine Research Reserve 
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative COLLINS of Wells. 
Cosponsored by Senator CARPENTER of York and 
Jrl~ 
1I1·771dC~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BOWEN of Rockport, BROWN of South Berwick, CROSTHWAITE of 
Ellsworth, McLAUGHLIN of Cape Elizabeth, MURPHY of Kennebunk, PEAVEY-
HASKELL of Greenbush, RECTOR of Thomaston, STONE of Berwick. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. P&SL 1989. c. 108. §4 is amended to read: 
Sec. 
4. 
Location 
of the 
reserve. 
The 
reserve 
eeHtaiH6 
a!l!l!'eHimate;!.y--J.-,~-ae!'e6 is located in the Town of Wells and 
includes lands between the Little River to the north and the 
Eldridge River to the south. 
The boundary to the east parallels 
the shoreline, excluding the shoreline development..L and to the 
west 
is--bo-r-Oe-r-ed--sy--t.-he--eeasta;!'--wet.-1-and--ma!'~iH includes lands 
adjacent to the Wells coastal wetlands and within the drainage 
basins of their tributary streams. 
Specifically, 
the reserve 
contains: 
1. 
Lands in the Rachel 
Carson National Wildlife Refuge 
managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; 
2. 
Land purchased or acquired for a state park managed by 
the 8Q!'eaQ-a~-Pa!'ks-aHe-Ree!'eatieH Department of Conservation; 
3. 
Submerged tidal lands managed by the I!!Q!'eaQ--(};f--PQslie 
baBeS Department of Conservation; 
4. 
Land purchased by the Town of Wells or the State; aBe 
5. 
Land donated by the Town of Wells to the Department of 
Conservation as a conservation easementT; and 
6. 
Other 
lands 
or 
interests 
in 
land 
in 
the 
location 
described in this section acquired by the reserve from willing 
sellers or added to the reserve by agreement for the purpose of 
furthering the reserve's conservation, 
research or educational 
programs. 
Sec. 2. P&SL 1989. c.l08. §6. sub-§5 is amended to read: 
5. 
Within 120 days after the close of its fiscal year, the 
authority shall provide a 
copy of its annual financial report 
certified by an independent certified public accountant selected 
by 
the 
authority 
to 
the 
Commissioner 
of 
Conservation, 
the 
Director of the State Planning Office, the Treasurer of State, 
the State Auditor and the JeiBt-S~aR4iR~-~~~~~~-h~~y-aBe 
NaEQEal--Res9QFeeS joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over 
conservation matters. 
The 
financial 
report must comply with federal Office of Management and Budget 
requirements. 
Page l-LR0673(1) 
SUMMARY 
This 
bill 
provides 
that 
the 
Wells 
National 
Estuarine 
Research Reserve contains lands or interests in land wi thin the 
defined location of the reserve acquired from willing sellers or 
added to the reserve by agreement for the purpose of furthering 
the reserve's conservation, research or educational purposes. 
The bill also changes references to the Bureau of Parks and 
Recreation and the Bureau of Public Lands to the Department of 
Conservation. 
Finally, 
the bill requires 
the 
Wells National Estuarine 
Research Reserve Management Authority to provide a copy of its 
annual financial report to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature 
having 
jurisdiction 
over 
conservation 
matters. 
Current law requires the authority to provide a 
copy of this 
report to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources.