An Act To Enhance the Redevdopment of the Brunswick Naval Air Station . (EMERGENCY)
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1664
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: PRIEST, GOODALL, SIMPSON, BERRY, KENT, MORRISON, STUCKEY, WATSON, WEBSTER
Amends: 5 MRSA §13083-I, 5 MRSA §13083-N, 5 MRSA §13083-P, 5 MRSA §13083-S

Legislative Document 
No. 1664 
S.P.629 
In Senate, December 21, 
An Act To Enhance the Redevdopment of the Brunswick Naval Air 
Station 
' 
. (EMERGENCY) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule· 
203. 
Reference to the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development suggested 
and ordered printed. 
. 
Presentedby Senator GERZOFSKY of Cumberland. 
Cosponsored by Representative PRIEST of Brunswick and 
9rg(J-~ 
JOY J. O'BRIEN· 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senators: GOODALL of Sagadahoc, SIMPSON of Androscoggin, Representatives: BERRY of 
Bowdoinham, KENT of Woolwich, MORRISON of South Portland, STUCKEY of Portland, 
WATSON of Bath, WEBSTER of Freeport. 
Printed on recycled pnper 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the imminent closure of the Brunswick Naval Air Station will result in the 
reduction of state, regional and 10caLtax base; and 
Whereas, the closure is estimated to negatively affect the State by $140,000,000; 
and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create. an emergency with in 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the pub1ic peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 5 MRS A §13083-G as enacted by PL 2005,c. 599, § I, is amended to 
read: 
_§13083-G. Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority established; goals 
The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority is established as a body corporate 
and politic and a public instrumentality of the State to carry out the purposes of this 
at1icle. The authority is entrusted with acquiring and managing the properties within the 
geographic boundaries of Brunswick Naval Air Station. 
The 'authority is established to facilitate the rapid development.of the properties 
. 20 
within the geographic boundaries of Brunswick Naval Air Station. ill order to achieve 
this objective, the authority shall make every effort to: 
1. Short-term goal. Recover civilian job losses in the primary impact community 
resulting from the base closure; 
2. Intermediate goal. Recover economic losses and total job losses in the primary 
impact community resulting from the base closure; and 
' 
3. Long-term goal. Facilitate the maximum redevelop'ment of base properties. 
r 
Sec. 2. 
MRSA §13083-I, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 599, § 1, IS 
amended to read: 
4. Liability. The liability of the authority is governed by the Maine Tort Claims Act. 
A member of the, board of trustees or an employee of the authority is not subject to any 
personal liability for having acted in the service of the member's or employee's duty as a 
member of the board or an employee of the authority within the course and scop~ of 
membership or employment to cany out a power or duty under this article. The authority 
shall indemnify a member of the board or an employee of the authority against expenses 
actually and necessarily incurred in connection with the defense of an action or 
') 
) 
) 
(~'\ 
\ 
I 
25. 
3'7 
i~ 
proceeding in which a member of the board or an employee is made a party by reason of 
past or present association with the authority. 
Sec.3. 5 MRSA§13083-L, sub-§5 is enacted to read: 
5. Airport; BrunswiCk Naval Air Station Fund established. The authority has all 
the powers of a municipality to operate as an airport authority under Title 30-A, chapter 
for use in connection with a public airport, heliport or other location for the landing 
or taking off of aircni.ft. To support this operation, there is established a non lapsing fund 
to be known as the Brunswick Naval Air Station Airport Fund, referred to in this section 
as "the fund," for the purpose of receiving funds from the State and gifts, grants, devises, 
bequests, trusts or security documents. 
The State .shall credit to the fund any 
appropriation made to the authority in each fiscal year. 
A, The fund must be used to: 
(1) 
Purchase, lease, acquire, own, improve, use, sell, convey, transfer or 
otherwise deal in and with airport property, an airport project or any interest in 
the airport property or airport project, whether tangible or intangible, as 
otherwise authorized under this article; 
. 
(2) Pay the costs of operating, maintaining, improving and repairing all airport 
property and airport projects ofthe authority; 
(3) Pay the costs of administering and operating the authority, including, but not 
limited to, all wages, salaries, benefits and other expenses 'authorized by the 
board of trustees or the executive director; 
(4) Pay the principal and premium, if any, and the interest on the outstanding 
bonds of the authority related to airport property. or airport projects as the same 
become due and payable; 
(5) Create and maintain reserves required or provided for in any resolution 
authorizing or any security document securing such bonds onhe authority related 
to airport property or airport projects; 
(6) Create and maintain a capital improvement fund for airport property and 
airport projects to be established by the board; 
(7) Pay all taxes owed by the authority related to airport property or airport 
projects;' and 
(8) Pay all expenses incident to the management and operation of the authority 
operating as an airport authority as are consistent with its statutory purpose and 
asthe board may from time to time determine. 
B. The fund constitutes a continUIng appropriation for the benefit of the authority. 
Any amount remaining in the fund at the close orany fiscal year is carried over and 
credited to the fund for the succeeding year. 
. 
C. Money in the fund must be paid to the authority on manifests approved by the 
Governor and Legislature in the same manner as other state claims are paid. 
.6 
D. The revenues received and due to the authority from all other sources, except by 
way of state appropriation, from whatever source derived, must be retained by the 
authority and must be used in such a manner as the board of trustees may determine 
consistent with the provisions of this section or as is otherwise provided by law or by 
the terms and conditions incident to any gift, grant, devise, bequest, trust or security 
document. 
. 
. 
Sec. 4. 5 MRSA §13083-N, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 599, §1, IS 
amended to read: 
4. Price sold. The bonds may be: 
A. Sold at not less than par at public sales held after notice has been published in a 
newspaper of general circulation in the area of operation and in any other medium of 
.. 12 
publication that the authority designates: 
B. Exchanged for other bonds on the basis of par; er 
C. Sold to the Federal Government at private sale at not less than par. Ifless than all 
of the authorized. principal amount ·of the bonds is sold to the Federal Governinent, 
the balance may be sold at private sale at not less than par at an interest cost to the 
municipality that does not exceed the interest cost to the municipality of the portion 
.18 
·ofthe bonds sol<,l to the Federal Govemrhent7~ 
D. Sold to a person on such terms as the authority may negotiate. 
Sec. 5. 5 MRSA §13083-P, sub-§2, E{/B, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 599, § 1, is 
amended to read: 
B. Apply to or limit the right of an obligee to foreclose or otherwise enforce a 
mortgage of the authority or to pursue remedies. for. the enforcement of a pledge or 
lien given by the authority on its rents, fees, grants er~ revenues or other sources 
pledged by the authority to the payment of its bonds. 
Sec. 6. 5 MRSA §13083-S, sub-§l, "1fG, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 599, § 1, is 
amended to read: 
G. 
A statement of the authority's proposed and'projected activities for the ensuing 
year; ami . 
. 
Sec. 7. 5 MRSA §13083-S, sub-§l, "ifH, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 599, § 1, is 
amended to read: 
H. 
Recommendations regarding further actions that may be suitable for achieving 
the purposes of this artic\e7i and 
Sec. 8. 5 MRSA §13083-S, sub-§l, "ifI is enacted to read: 
I. A description of the authority'S progress toward achieving the goals set forth in 
. section 13083-G. 
Sec. 9. Establishment of campus. The Maine Community College System shall 
establish the Advanced Technology and Engineering Center as a campus of- Southern 
.') 
./ 
) 
) 
,... 
~ 
) 
'-----../ 
Maine Community College at Brunswick Naval Air Station. The Maine Community 
College System shall establish the Advanced Technology and Engineering Center to: 
1. Collaborate with other higher education entities and enter into partnerships with 
businesses and industry on workforce development, innovation, product development and 
marketing; 
. 2. Support an incubator center in manufacturing, composites and advanced energy 
systems; and 
3. Offer seamless transfer programs among associate degree programs, bachelor's 
degree programs and master's degree programs. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill creates a fund to support Brunswick Naval Air Station redevelopment. 
Funds will be appropriated by the State, and the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment 
Authority is authorized to receive funds ITom gifis,grants, devises, bequests, trusts or 
security documents. This bill sets forth goals to be pursued by the Midcoast Regional 
Redevelopment Authority and directs the authority to include a report on its progress 
toward those goals in its annual report to the Governor and the Legislature. The Midcoast 
Regional Redevelopment Authority is given power to act as an airport authority. This bill 
also directs the Maine Community College System to establish the Advanced Technology 
arid Engineering Center as a campus of Southern Maine Community College at 
Brunswick Naval Air Station ..