An Act To Address Decibel Level Limits for Airboats (AFTER DEADLINE)
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 2065
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: McCREIGHT, MIRAMANT, ALLEY, BEEBE-CENTER, BLUME, DAUGHTRY, HEPLER, MARTIN, NADEAU, VITELLI
Amends: 12 MRSA §13068-A

Legislative Document
No. 2065
H.P. 1467
House of Representatives, January 23, 2020
An Act To Address Decibel Level Limits for Airboats
(AFTER DEADLINE)
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
205.
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative McCREIGHT of Harpswell.
Cosponsored by Senator MIRAMANT of Knox and
Representatives: ALLEY of Beals, BEEBE-CENTER of Rockland, BLUME of York, 
DAUGHTRY of Brunswick, HEPLER of Woolwich, MARTIN of Sinclair, NADEAU of 
Winslow, Senator: VITELLI of Sagadahoc.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §13068-A, sub-§10, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, 
§380 and affected by §422, is amended to read:
A.  A person may not operate a motorboat in such a manner as to exceed:
(1)  A noise level of 90 decibels when subjected to a stationary sound level test 
with and without cutouts engaged and as prescribed by the commissioner; or
(2)  A noise level of 75 decibels when subjected to an operational test measured 
with and without cutouts engaged and as prescribed by the commissioner.
As used in this paragraph, "motorboat" does not include an "airboat," which has the 
same meaning as in paragraph A-1.
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §13068-A, sub-§10, ¶A-1 is enacted to read:
A-1.  A person may not operate an airboat in such a manner as to exceed noise level 
limits established by the commissioner by routine technical rules as described in Title 
5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.  For purposes of this paragraph, "airboat" means a 
flat-bottomed watercraft propelled by an aircraft-type propeller and powered by 
either an aircraft engine or an automotive engine.
Sec. 3.  Collection of information.  The Department of Inland Fisheries and 
Wildlife and the Department of Marine Resources jointly shall solicit and collect 
information regarding airboats, including, but not limited to, information regarding uses 
of airboats, noise levels and complaints and suggestions for reducing complaints 
regarding the use of airboats, from interested parties, including, but not limited to, harbor 
masters, town clerks and residents of coastal towns and airboat users and sellers.  Based 
on the suggestions, the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the 
Commissioner of Marine Resources may submit legislation to the First Regular Session 
of the 130th Legislature to implement whatever suggestions the commissioners determine 
are necessary.  As used in this section, "airboat" means a flat-bottomed watercraft 
propelled by an aircraft-type propeller and powered by either an aircraft engine or an 
automotive engine.
SUMMARY
This bill exempts airboats, which are defined as flat-bottomed watercraft propelled by 
an aircraft-type propeller and powered by either an aircraft engine or an automotive 
engine, from the noise level limits imposed on other watercraft.  Instead, this bill allows 
the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to establish noise level limits for 
airboats by routine technical rules.
This bill also requires the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the 
Department of Marine Resources to jointly solicit and collect information regarding 
airboats, including uses of airboats, noise levels and complaints and suggestions for 
reducing complaints regarding the use of airboats, from interested parties, such as harbor 
masters, town clerks and residents of coastal towns and airboat users and sellers.  Based 
on the suggestions, the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the 
Commissioner of Marine Resources are authorized to submit legislation to the First 
Regular Session of the 130th Legislature to implement whatever suggestions the 
commissioners determine are necessary.