An Act To Restore Regular Eelgrass Mapping in the State
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 0593
Committee: Environment and Natural Resources
Sponsors: McCREIGHT, O'CONNOR, TUCKER, ZEIGLER, CARNEY, MAXMIN, VITELLI
Amends: 38 MRSA §1805

Legislative Document
No. 593
H.P. 436
House of Representatives, February 24, 2021
An Act To Restore Regular Eelgrass Mapping in the State
Received by the Clerk of the House on February 22, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Environment and Natural Resources pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant 
to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative McCREIGHT of Harpswell.
Cosponsored by Representatives: O'CONNOR of Berwick, TUCKER of Brunswick, ZEIGLER 
of Montville, Senators: CARNEY of Cumberland, MAXMIN of Lincoln, VITELLI of 
Sagadahoc.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  38 MRSA §1805 is enacted to read:
§1805.  Eelgrass mapping
In accordance with the requirements of this section and in consultation with the 
Department of Marine Resources, the department shall establish and administer an eelgrass 
mapping program.  For the purposes of this section, "eelgrass" means the flowering marine 
plant species Zostera marina that is primarily found in shallow, protected intertidal and 
subtidal locations in the State.
1.  Mapping procedures.  The department shall in accordance with the schedule in 
subsection 3 facilitate the production and update of eelgrass distribution maps for eelgrass 
beds within the State.  The data collected and the maps produced and updated in accordance 
with this section must, to the maximum extent practicable, be compatible with the State's 
geographic information system.
2.  Eelgrass Mapping Fund.  The Eelgrass Mapping Fund is created within the 
department as a nonlapsing dedicated fund to support the establishment and administration 
of the eelgrass mapping program required under this section.  The fund may accept revenue 
from grants, bequests, gifts or contributions from any source, public or private.
3.  Mapping schedule.  The mapping of eelgrass beds required under this section must 
be conducted in accordance with the following schedule, as department resources allow.
A.  No later than November 1, 2022, mapping must be completed for that portion of 
the coast from Phippsburg to St. George and must be updated every 5 years thereafter.
B.  No later than November 1, 2023, mapping must be completed for that portion of 
the coast from St. George to Brooklin and must be updated every 5 years thereafter.
C.  No later than November 1, 2024, mapping must be completed for that portion of 
the coast from Brooklin to Jonesport and must be updated every 5 years thereafter.
D.  No later than November 1, 2025, mapping must be completed for that portion of 
the coast from Jonesport to Calais and must be updated every 5 years thereafter.
E.  No later than November 1, 2026, mapping must be completed for that portion of 
the coast from Eliot to Phippsburg and must be updated every 5 years thereafter.
4.  Availability of data and maps.  The department shall make available on its publicly 
accessible website the data collected and maps produced and updated under this section.
5.  Report.  On or before March 1, 2023, and biennially thereafter, the department shall 
submit to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
environmental and natural resources matters a report summarizing the data collected and 
maps produced and updated under this section and including an analysis, if available, of 
the changes to the eelgrass beds within the State that are demonstrated by the data collected 
and maps produced under this section.
Sec. 2.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF
Eelgrass Mapping Fund N302
Initiative: Provides an allocation to accept grants, bequests, gifts or contributions from any 
source, public or private, to support the administration of the eelgrass mapping program.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
2021-22
2022-23
   All Other
$500
$500
__________
__________
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL
$500
$500
Water Quality 0248
Initiative: Provides appropriations for one Biologist II position and one Environmental 
Technician position and All Other costs.
GENERAL FUND
2021-22
2022-23
   POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT
2.000
2.000
   Personal Services
$191,551
$195,382
   All Other
$6,292
$6,418
__________
__________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$197,843
$201,800
Water Quality 0248
Initiative: Provides appropriations for aerial imagery acquisition and processing and annual 
equipment maintenance and replacement.
GENERAL FUND
2021-22
2022-23
   All Other
$85,900
$128,600
__________
__________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$85,900
$128,600
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, 
DEPARTMENT OF
DEPARTMENT TOTALS
2021-22
2022-23
   GENERAL FUND
$283,743
$330,400
   OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
$500
$500
__________
__________
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS
$284,243
$330,900
SUMMARY
This bill directs the Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the 
Department of Marine Resources, to establish and administer a program to regularly 
produce and update maps regarding the distribution of eelgrass beds in the State.  Data 
collected and maps produced under this program must be made available on the Department 
of Environmental Protection's publicly accessible website.  The Department of 
Environmental Protection is directed to submit to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over environmental and natural resources matters on or 
before March 1, 2023, and biennially thereafter, a report on the data collected and maps 
produced and updated under this program.
It also creates the Eelgrass Mapping Fund to support the establishment and 
administration of the eelgrass mapping program and authorizes the fund to accept grants, 
bequests, gifts or contributions from any source, public or private.
The intent of the mapping of eelgrass and other coastal resources as provided in this 
bill is to align with the climate action plan released by the Maine Climate Council in 
December 2020.