An Act To Prohibit Offshore Oil and Natural Gas Drilling and Exploration
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0955
Committee: Environment and Natural Resources
Sponsors: DEVIN, CHENETTE, FOLEY, ACKLEY, ALLEY, AUSTIN, BABBIDGE, BABINE, BAILEY, BEEBE-CENTER, BERRY, BLUME, BRENNAN, BROOKS, BRYANT, CARDONE, CARNEY, COLLINGS, COOPER, DAUGHTRY, DENK, DODGE, DOORE, DUNPHY, EVANGELOS, FAULKINGHAM, FAY, FECTEAU, GIDEON, GROHOSKI, HANDY, HARNETT, HEPLER, HOBBS, HUBBELL, HYMANSON, JORGENSEN, KORNFIELD, LANDRY, MADIGAN, MAREAN, MEYER, MOONEN, NEWELL, O'NEIL, PEBWORTH, PERRY, PIERCE, PLUECKER, RISEMAN, ROBERTS-LOVELL, RYKERSON, SHARPE, SHEATS, STANLEY, STOVER, SYLVESTER, TEPLER, TUCKER, TUELL, VEROW, ZEIGLER, BELLOWS, CARSON, CHIPMAN, DOW, GRATWICK, LAWRENCE, LIBBY, MILLETT, MIRAMANT
Amends: 12 MRSA §1862

Legislative Document
No. 955
H.P. 710
House of Representatives, February 21, 2019
An Act To Prohibit Offshore Oil and Natural Gas Drilling and 
Exploration
Reference to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative DEVIN of Newcastle.
Cosponsored by Senator CHENETTE of York, Senator FOLEY of York and
Representatives: ACKLEY of Monmouth, ALLEY of Beals, AUSTIN of Skowhegan, BABBIDGE of 
Kennebunk, BABINE of Scarborough, BAILEY of Saco, BEEBE-CENTER of Rockland, BERRY of 
Bowdoinham, BLUME of York, BRENNAN of Portland, BROOKS of Lewiston, BRYANT of Windham, 
CARDONE of Bangor, CARNEY of Cape Elizabeth, COLLINGS of Portland, COOPER of Yarmouth, 
DAUGHTRY of Brunswick, DENK of Kennebunk, DODGE of Belfast, DOORE of Augusta, DUNPHY of Old 
Town, EVANGELOS of Friendship, FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor, FAY of Raymond, FECTEAU of 
Biddeford, FOLEY of Biddeford, Speaker GIDEON of Freeport, GROHOSKI of Ellsworth, HANDY of 
Lewiston, HARNETT of Gardiner, HEPLER of Woolwich, HOBBS of Wells, HUBBELL of Bar Harbor, 
HYMANSON of York, JORGENSEN of Portland, KORNFIELD of Bangor, LANDRY of Farmington, 
MADIGAN of Waterville, MAREAN of Hollis, McCREA of Fort Fairfield, McCREIGHT of Harpswell, 
McDONALD of Stonington, MEYER of Eliot, MOONEN of Portland, NEWELL of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, 
O'NEIL of Saco, PEBWORTH of Blue Hill, PERRY of Calais, PIERCE of Falmouth, PLUECKER of Warren, 
RISEMAN of Harrison, ROBERTS-LOVELL of South Berwick, RYKERSON of Kittery, SHARPE of Durham, 
SHEATS of Auburn, STANLEY of Medway, STOVER of Boothbay, SYLVESTER of Portland, TEPLER of 
Topsham, TUCKER of Brunswick, TUELL of East Machias, VEROW of Brewer, ZEIGLER of Montville, 
Senators: BELLOWS of Kennebec, CARSON of Cumberland, CHIPMAN of Cumberland, DOW of Lincoln, 
GRATWICK of Penobscot, LAWRENCE of York, LIBBY of Androscoggin, MILLETT of Cumberland, 
MIRAMANT of Knox, SANBORN, H. of Cumberland, SANBORN, L. of Cumberland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §1862, sub-§14 is enacted to read:
14.  Prohibition on oil and natural gas exploration, development and production.  
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the director may not permit, 
approve or otherwise authorize any oil or natural gas exploration, development or 
production in, on or under the submerged and intertidal land owned by the State.
As used in this subsection, "development" has the same meaning as in Title 38, section 
570-AA, subsection 1; "exploration" has the same meaning as in Title 38, section 
570-AA, subsection 2; and "production" has the same meaning as in Title 38, section 
570-AA, subsection 3.
Sec. 2.  38 MRSA c. 3, sub-c. 2-C is enacted to read:
SUBCHAPTER 2-C
PROHIBITION ON OIL AND NATURAL GAS EXPLORATION, 
DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION
§570-AA.  Definitions
As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following 
terms have the following meanings.
1.  Development.  "Development" means the activities conducted subsequent to the 
discovery of oil or natural gas resources to facilitate the production of those resources, 
including, but not limited to, geophysical activities, drilling, platform construction, 
pipeline construction and the operation of all onshore support facilities to support those 
activities.
2.  Exploration.  "Exploration" means the activities conducted to locate oil or natural 
gas resources, including, but not limited to, the drilling of wells for the purpose of 
locating and determining the size and scope of those resources.
3.  Production.  "Production" means the activities conducted subsequent to the 
development of oil or natural gas resources including, but not limited to, the removal or 
extraction of those resources, related field operations, the transfer of the resources to 
onshore facilities, workover drilling and the operation, monitoring and maintenance of 
the removal or extraction process.
§570-BB.  Prohibition
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a person may not perform 
or cause to be performed, and the department may not permit, approve or otherwise 
authorize, any oil or natural gas exploration, development or production in, on or under 
the waters of the State or that may adversely affect the waters of the State.
SUMMARY
This bill prohibits a person from performing or causing to be performed any oil or 
natural gas exploration, development or production in, on or under the waters of the State 
or that may adversely affect the waters of the State.
The bill also prohibits the Department of Environmental Protection and the Director 
of the Bureau of Parks and Lands within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation 
and Forestry from permitting, approving or otherwise authorizing any oil or natural gas 
exploration, development or production in, on or under the submerged and intertidal land 
owned by the State.
It is the intent of this legislation to generally prohibit activities relating to offshore oil 
and natural gas exploration, development and production within the boundaries and 
jurisdiction of the State, which place the State's coastal communities at economic and 
ecological risk from oil spills, and from the pollution caused by routine drilling 
operations and onshore industrialization, and threaten the quality of life and livelihoods 
of Maine citizens and economically significant industries, including tourism, recreation 
and commercial and recreational fishing, and small businesses that rely on a clean and 
healthy ocean and clean and healthy beaches.