An Act To Protect Maine's Beaches and Shoreline
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0774
Committee Amendment CA_A_H711 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "-A" to H.P. 579, L.D. 774, Bill, "An Act To 
Protect Maine's Beaches and Shoreline" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Protect Maine's Beaches and Shoreline' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. Department of Environmental Protection; review of Integrated 
Beach Management Program Worldng Group Report. Resolved: That the 
Department of Environmental Protection shall review the report titled "Integrated Beach 
Management Program Working Group Report," dated January 2017 and submitted to the 
Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources in the First Regular 
Session of the 128th Legislature pursuant to Resolve 2015, chapter 66, and the specific 
recommendations for legislative, regulatory or other actions contained in that report. In 
coordination with the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, the 
Department of Environmental Protection shall identify and, where necessary and 
appropriate, develop strategies, legislation or other actions to assist municipalities in the 
mitigation of coastal erosion in the State and to keep the State's beaches healthy for 
protection against storms, for habitat protection for coastal wildlife species and for 
recreational uses, including: 
1. A state program, to be managed by relevant state agencies, that is designed to 
provide technical assistance to coastal municipalities in the management of coastal 
erosion issues and in the development and implementation of beach and shoreline 
management projects. The program must be designed to prioritize the provision of 
technical assistance to those coastal municipalities whose beaches and shoreline are most 
severely affected by coastal erosion, sea level rise and storm surges; 
2. Proposals to support the identification and mapping of upland and marine sources 
of sand or sediment suitable for beach nourishment activities that are potentially available 
for such use by coastal municipalities, as well as proposals for the development and 
implementation of an expedited, streamlined and cost-effective state permitting or 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 579, L,D, 774 
approval process to facilitate the removal of such sand or sediment by municipalities for 
beach nourishment purposes; 
3. 
A comprehensive state beach nourishment policy that incorporates specific 
implementation strategies for beach nourishment activities and that identifies specific 
criteria for prioritizing beach nourishment projects based on the severity of the effects on 
a coastal beach of sea level rise and storm surges; and 
4. A comprehensive state beach management program that includes identification of 
the funding sources that are necessary and available to successfully fund beach 
management projects under the program, In developing the program, the Department of 
O 
Environmental Protection shall, at a minimum, review similar programs implemented by 
other coastal states, including, but not limited to, the Florida Beach Management Funding 
Assistance Program. 
Sec. 2. Report to Legislature. Resolved: That, no later than January 15, 2021, 
the Department of Environmental Protection shall report to the joint standing committee 
of the Legislature having jurisdiction over environment and natural resources matters its 
findings and recommendations under section 1, including any proposed legislation 
necessary to implement those recommendations. The joint standing committee may 
report out legislation to the First Regular Session of the 130th Legislature relating to the 
department's findings and recommendations.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill with a resolve and changes the title. The resolve 
directs the Department of Environmental Protection to review the report titled "Integrated 
· Beach Management Program Working Group Report," dated January 2017 and submitted 
to the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources in the First 
Regular Session of the 128th Legislature pursuant to Resolve 2015, chapter 66,. and to 
identify and, where necessary and appropriate, develop strategies, legislation or other 
actions to assist municipalities in the mitigation of coastal erosion in the State and to keep 
the State's beaches healthy for protection against storms, for habitat protection for coastal 
wildlife species and for recreational uses. The department is required by January 15, 
2021 to report its findings and recommendations following that review, including any 
proposed legislation necessary to implement those recommendations, to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over environment and natural resources 
matters, which is authorized to report out related legislation. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: 02/25/20 Ma~ 
LD774 
LR 349(02) 
An Act To Protect Maine's Beaches and Shoreline 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'A' (W--71 r) 
Committee: Environment and Natural Resources 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Any additional costs to the Department of Environmental Protection as a result of a requirement to report on 
recommendations for strategies, proposed legislation and other actions to help municipalities mitigate coastal erosion 
are anticipated to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR0349(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1