An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Support Waterfront Development
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1101
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: HASKELL, CAREY, ALFOND, BOYLE, CAIN, GOODALL, MAZUREK, FARNSWORTH, GATTINE, PEOPLES

Legislative Document 
No. 1101 
S.P. 383 
In Senate, March 19, 2013 
An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Support 
Waterfront Development 
Reference to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator HASKELL of Cumberland. 
Cosponsored by Representative CAREY of Lewiston and 
Senators: President ALFOND of Cumberland, BOYLE of Cumberland, CAIN of Penobscot, 
GOODALL of Sagadahoc, MAZUREK of Knox, Representatives: FARNSWORTH of 
Portland, GATTINE of Westbrook, PEOPLES of Westbrook. 
Preamble.  Two thirds of both Houses of the Legislature deeming it necessary in 
accordance with the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 14 to authorize the 
issuance of bonds on behalf of the State of Maine to provide funds as described in this 
Act, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
PART A 
Sec. A-1.  Authorization of bonds.  The Treasurer of State is authorized, under 
the direction of the Governor, to issue bonds in the name and on behalf of the State in an 
amount not exceeding $10,000,000 for the purposes described in section 6 of this Part.  
The bonds are a pledge of the full faith and credit of the State.  The bonds may not run for 
a period longer than 10 years from the date of the original issue of the bonds. 
Sec. A-2.  Records of bonds issued; Treasurer of State. The Treasurer of 
State shall ensure that an account of each bond is kept showing the number of the bond, 
the name of the successful bidder to whom sold, the amount received for the bond, the 
date of sale and the date when payable. 
Sec. A-3.  Sale; how negotiated; proceeds appropriated.  The Treasurer of 
State may negotiate the sale of the bonds by direction of the Governor, but no bond may 
be loaned, pledged or hypothecated on behalf of the State.  The proceeds of the sale of the 
bonds, which must be held by the Treasurer of State and paid by the Treasurer of State 
upon warrants drawn by the State Controller, are appropriated solely for the purposes set 
forth in this Part.  Any unencumbered balances remaining at the completion of the project 
in this Part lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of 
general obligation bonds. 
Sec. A-4.  Interest and debt retirement.  The Treasurer of State shall pay 
interest due or accruing on any bonds issued under this Part and all sums coming due for 
payment of bonds at maturity. 
Sec. A-5.  Disbursement of bond proceeds from General Fund bond issue.  
The proceeds of the sale of the bonds authorized under this Part must be expended as 
designated in the following schedule under the direction and supervision of the agencies 
and entities set forth in this section. 
Provides funds for the creation of a grant program to invest in economic 
revitalization, environmental enhancement and community betterment projects along 
the waterfronts of the State in a fashion that preserves and enhances economic 
activity, environmental protection and the quality of life for Maine people. 
ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY 
DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF 
Waterfront Community Development 
Program 
Sec. A-6.  Use of bonds.  Bond proceeds may be used for grants for investment in 
economic revitalization, environmental enhancement and community betterment projects 
along waterfronts of the State in a fashion that preserves and enhances economic activity, 
environmental protection and the quality of life for Maine people, except that use of the 
proceeds is subject to the following conditions and requirements. 
1.  Any municipality with either ocean or river waterfront and any nonprofit 
corporation organized in whole or in part for the purposes of economic, environmental 
and community development of waterfront in the State may apply to the Department of 
Economic and Community Development for funding from this grant program. 
2.  For a project to be eligible to receive grant funding, the project must have as its 
purpose: 
A.  The development or restoration of public parks, walkways and other public spaces 
along waterfront corridors either situated in downtown, developed waterfront 
locations or between and connecting 2 or more such locations; 
B.  Rehabilitation of degraded or dilapidated shorelines in downtown waterfront 
locations in a manner designed to encourage subsequent private development on or 
near those shorelines; or 
C.  The restoration of native fisheries and aquatic ecosystems. 
3.  Proposed projects must demonstrate support from a broad range of public and 
private entities and the local community. 
4.  Eligible applications must include a commitment of one dollar in matching funds 
from other public or private sources for every dollar in bond funds. 
Sec. A-7.  Contingent upon ratification of bond issue.  Sections 1 to 6 do not 
become effective unless the people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set 
forth in this Part. 
Sec. A-8.  Appropriation balances at year-end.  At the end of each fiscal year, 
all unencumbered appropriation balances representing state money carry forward.  Bond 
proceeds that have not been expended within 10 years after the date of the sale of the 
bonds lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general 
obligation bonds. 
Sec. A-9.  Bonds authorized but not issued.  Any bonds authorized but not 
issued within 5 years of ratification of this Part are deauthorized and may not be issued, 
except that the Legislature may, within 2 years after the expiration of that 5-year period, 
extend the period for issuing any remaining unissued bonds for an additional amount of 
time not to exceed 5 years. 
Total 
$10,000,000
Sec. A-10.  Referendum for ratification; submission at election; form of 
question; effective date.  This Part must be submitted to the legal voters of the State at 
a statewide election held in the month of November following passage of this Act.  The 
municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns 
and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide election, 
to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Part by voting on the following question: 
"Do you favor a $10,000,000 bond issue to fund a grant program 
administered by the Department of Economic and Community 
Development to invest in economic, environmental and community 
development projects along waterfronts in Maine, to be met by matching 
public or private funds?" 
The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question 
and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within a corresponding square 
below the word "Yes" or "No."  The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and 
declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of 
State in the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature.  The Governor shall 
review the returns.  If a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of this Part, the 
Governor shall proclaim the result without delay and this Part becomes effective 30 days 
after the date of the proclamation. 
The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all 
ballots, returns and copies of this Part necessary to carry out the purposes of this 
referendum. 
PART B 
Sec. B-1.  Program established; administration.  The Waterfront Community 
Development Program, referred to in this Part as "the program," is established within the 
Department of Economic and Community Development to assist and encourage 
communities along Maine's ocean and river waterfronts to revitalize their waterfronts in 
an environmentally sustainable manner and to promote waterfront-oriented community 
development and enhancement projects.  The department shall administer the program 
directly through the Municipal Investment Trust Fund to provide funding for the 
rehabilitation, revitalization and enhancement of waterfront communities and ocean and 
river ecosystems in the State. 
Sec. B-2.  Review panel.  The Department of Economic and Community 
Development shall organize a review panel to make recommendations for the operation 
of the program, including without limitation evaluating applications and determining 
funding under the program.  The panel consists of the Commissioner of Economic and 
Community Development, the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
and the Director of the Governor's Office of Policy and Management within the 
Executive Department and 4 members of the public with expertise in the areas of: 
economic and community development; environmental conservation; tourism and 
ecotourism development and promotion; and park and trail design and development. 
Sec. B-3.  Selection criteria.  The Department of Economic and Community 
Development shall develop selection criteria with which to evaluate applications for 
funding under the program for investment in waterfront communities.  The selection 
criteria must include, without limitation: 
1.  The economic significance of the proposed project to the immediate vicinity and 
to the State as a whole; 
2.  The level of compatibility with clean and healthy aquatic ecosystems; 
3.  The value of the proposed project with respect to downtown revitalization; 
4.  The value of the proposed project with respect to environmental protection and 
ecological restoration; 
5.  The value of the proposed project with respect to recreational uses; 
6.  The degree of community support for the proposed investment; and 
7.  The extent to which the proposed project involves partnerships and meets multiple 
criteria for benefits. 
Sec. B-4.  Contingent upon ratification of bond issue.  This Part does not 
become effective unless the people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set 
forth in Part A of this Act. 
SUMMARY 
The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $10,000,000, will be used to 
fund a grant program to invest in projects that contribute to economic, environmental and 
community development and revitalization along the State's waterfronts, promote 
economic activity, protect the environment and enhance the quality of life for Maine 
people.