An Act To Invest in the Stewardship and Management of Properties Acquired with the Proceeds from the Land for Maine's Future Fund or the Public Access to Maine Waters Fund
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 0065
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: O'NEIL, MAXMIN
Amends: 5 MRSA §6203, 5 MRSA §6203-A

Legislative Document
No. 65
H.P. 31
House of Representatives, January 13, 2021
An Act To Invest in the Stewardship and Management of Properties 
Acquired with the Proceeds from the Land for Maine's Future Fund 
or the Public Access to Maine Waters Fund
Submitted by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry pursuant to Joint 
Rule 204.
Received by the Clerk of the House on January 11, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed 
pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative O'NEIL of Saco.
Cosponsored by Senator: MAXMIN of Lincoln.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §6203, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2009, c. 178, §§1 and 2, is 
further amended to read:
3.  Fund proceeds.  The proceeds of the Land for Maine's Future Fund may be applied 
and expended to:
A.  Acquire property or an interest in property that is determined by the board to be of 
state significance under the guidelines of this chapter;
B.  When interest in land is acquired with proceeds from the Land for Maine's Future 
Fund, fund minor capital improvements on such lands and on adjoining lands in the 
same ownership or under the same management to improve accessibility, as long as 
these improvements do not exceed 5% of the appraised value of the acquired property; 
and
C.  When interest in farmland is acquired with proceeds from the Land for Maine's 
Future Fund, fund the development of a business plan and capital improvements to 
provide for the land's continuing use as a working farm, as long as these improvements 
do not exceed 5% of the appraised value of the acquired property.  Capital 
improvements under this paragraph may also be made on adjoining farmland in the 
same ownership or under the same management.; and
D.  When land or interest in land is acquired with proceeds from the Land for Maine's 
Future Fund, fund minor capital investments in the stewardship and management of 
that land.  Stewardship and management investments under this paragraph must be held 
in a dedicated stewardship endowment and identified for use on the funded property.  
Stewardship and management investments may not exceed 5% of the appraised value 
of the acquired property.
Sec. 2.  5 MRSA §6203-A, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 728, §5, is amended 
to read:
3.  Fund proceeds.  The proceeds of the Public Access to Maine Waters Fund may be 
applied and expended to:
A.  Acquire property or interests in property abutting fresh or coastal waters when 
public access to those waters does not exist or when the board determines that existing 
points of public access are not sufficient; and
B.  Provide minor capital improvements on lands acquired by proceeds from the Public 
Access to Maine Waters Fund to provide public access or improve accessibility, as 
long as these improvements do not exceed 5% of the appraised value of the acquired 
property.; and
C.  When land or interest in land is acquired with proceeds from the Public Access to 
Maine Waters Fund, fund minor capital investments in the stewardship and 
management of that land.  Stewardship and management investments under this 
paragraph must be held in a dedicated stewardship endowment and identified for use 
on the funded property.  Stewardship and management investments may not exceed 
5% of the appraised value of the acquired property.
SUMMARY
This bill allows a small portion of Land for Maine's Future program bond funds to be 
used to fund minor capital investments in the stewardship and management of properties 
acquired with funding from the Land for Maine's Future Fund or the Public Access to 
Maine Waters Fund, ensuring that these properties are maintained in perpetuity for the 
purposes for which the properties are conserved.