An Act to Create a
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1245
Committee Amendment CA_A_H453 (House)
Amends: 5 MRSA §3207, 5 MRSA §3208, 5 MRSA §12004

CO1\.1MITIEE AMENDMENT" Ji._,, to H.P. 820, L.D. 1245, "An Act to Create a 
Fund to Spread Awareness ofMaine
1IWorking Waterfronts" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act to Establish a Fund and Council to Support Working Waterfronts' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the 
fo~~: 
• 
'Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §3207 is enacted to read: 
§3207, Worldng Waterfront Information and Technical Assistance Fund 
The Working Waterfront Information and Technical Assistance Fund. refen•ed to in 
this section as "the fund." is established. Balances in the fund may not lapse and must be 
carried forward and used for the purposes of this section. The fund is administered by the 
office, and the office may accept and deposit in the fund money from private and public 
sources. In canying out the purposes of the fund, the office shall work with the Department 
of Economic and Community Development. Office of Tourism; the Department of Marine 
Resources: coastal municipal and regional governments: and organizations and coalitions 
that have experience advocating for developing and protecting working waterfronts in the 
State and experience working with persons who use working wate1fronts in the State. In 
collaboration with the entities listed in this section. the office shall use the fund in the 
production of working waterfront information campaigns and the provision of technical 
assistance to encourage protection and development of working waterfronts. As used in 
this section, "working waterfront" means a parcel of land abutting water subject to tidal 
influence or land located in the h1tertidal zone that is used primarily or predominantly to 
provide access to or support the conduct of commercial fishing and marine activities. 
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §3208 is enacted to read: 
§3208. Worldng Waterfront Advisory Council 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'A" to H.P. 820, L.D. 1245 
The Working Waterfront Advisory Council. estabHshed by section 12004-I, subsection 
57-I and refened to in this section as "the council." is established to address issues facing 
the State's working waterfronts. 
1. Membership. The director shall appoint up to 15 members to the council who. to 
the greatest extent possible, must represent federally recognized Indian nations. tribes or 
bands in the State. municipalities, nonprofit organizations. trade organizations. educational 
institutions, individuals and industries that represent or use working waterfronts in the 
State. To the greatest extent possible, the membership of the council must reflect a 
geographic distribution along the coast. 
In making appointments, the director shall consider and appoint residents of the State who 
have knowledge of problems. facing working waterfronts in the State, have experience in 
advocacy relating to working waterfront issues or provide leadership in programs or 
activities that create and improve opportunities or spread awareness related to working 
waterfronts and persons that use them. 
2. Term. A member's te1m is for 3 years. If a member is unable to complete the te1m, 
the director shall appoint a member pursuant to subsection 1 to serve out the unexpired 
portion of the term. · 
3. Officers; staff. The officers of the council are the chair and the vice-chair. The 
term of the officers is one year. The council shall elect a member of the council for each 
officer position at the first regular meeting of each year. The council is staffed by the 
office. 
4. Meetings. The council shall meet at least 4 times per year. It may meet at other 
times at the call of the chair or the director. 
5. Council report. By Februaty 1, 2026 and annually thereafter, the council shall 
submit a repo1t to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
economic and community development matters and mat·ine resources matters on the status 
of the condition of, the current and future challenges concerning and recommendations, 
related to working waterfronts in the State, including, but not limited to: 
A. How to best use state agencies, municipal governments, working waterfront 
industries and citizen groups to protect and improve access to working waterfronts in 
the State: 
B. Matters of interest to working waterfront industries and communities in the State, 
including, but not limited to, geographic information systems mapping and invent01y, 
climate and resilience, preservation and access, affordable workforce housing. climate-
driven relocation, water quality and ecosystems. workforce development, health care 
access, the marine resources economy and economic development. including public-
private paitnerships. decarbonization and electrification and developing new working 
waterfronts: and 
C. Information on relevant existing federal. state. municipal. educational organization 
and nonprofit organization data, plans. recommendations and studies that relate to 
working waterfronts in the State and updates on progress made in state plans that 
include references to working waterfronts. 
After reviewing the report, either joint standing committee may repo1t out legislation to 
implement any recommendations contained in the rep01t. 
COMMITTEE· AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 820, L.D. 1245 
6, Director report. By February 1, 2026 and annually thereafter, the director shall 
submit a report to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
matters related to the office on the status of initiatives regarding working waterfronts, 
including information from coalitions, task forces and engagements with municipal and 
tribal governments. After reviewing the report, either joint standing committee may report 
out legislation to implement any recommendations contained in the report. 
Sec. 3. 5 MRSA §12004-1, sub-§57-1 is enacted to read: 
57-I. 
Marine 
Resources 
Working Waterfront 
Advisory Council 
Not Authorized 
MRSA §3208 
Sec. 4. 
Working Waterfront Advisory Council initial membership 
appointments. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 3208, 
subsection 2, in making the initial membership appointments to the Working Waterfront 
Advisory Council established pursuant to Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 57-I, the 
Director of the Maine Office of Community Affairs shall make the initial membership 
appointment terms staggered so that approximately 1/3 of the members are appointed for a . 
te1m of 3 years, approximately 1/3 of the members are appointed for a tenn of 2 years and 
approximately 1/3 of the members are appointed for a tenn of one year. 
Sec. 5. 
Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocatiqns are made. 
MAINE OFFICE OF COMMlJNITYAFFAIRS 
Working Waterfront Information and Technical Ass.istance Fund N542 
Initiative: Provides ongoing allocations to establish the Working Waterfront Information 
and Technical Assistance Fund. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
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2025-26 
$500 
$500 
2026-27 
$500 
$500 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill and changes the title. It amends the name and 
purpose of the fund being established and adds the Department of Marine Resources to the 
agencies that the Maine Office of Community Affairs must consult with when 
administering the funds. 
The amendment also creates the Working Waterfront Advisory Council to address 
issues affecting the State's wol'king waterfronts and requires t~e council to submit a repo1i 
by February 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, to the joint standing committees of the 
. Legislature having jurisdiction over economic and community development matters and 
marine resources matters on the status of the condition of, the cu mint and future challenges 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT•~~• to H.P. 820, L.D. 1245 
concerning and recommendations related to working waterfronts in the State. 
The 
amendment also requires the Director of the Maine Office of Community Affairs to submit 
a report by February 1, 2026 and annually thereafter to the joint standing committees of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over matters related to the Maine Office of Community 
Affairs on the status of initiatives regarding working water.fronts, including inf01mation 
from coalitions, task forces and engagements with municipal and tribal governments. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/20/25 L-RL 
LD 1245 
LR 869(02) 
An Act to Create a Fund to Spread Awareness of Maine's Working Waterfronts 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment'.'/¾, {(i--L/53) • 
Committee: Housing and Economic Development 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2025-26 
$500 
FY 2026-27 
Projections 
FY 2027-28 
Projections 
FY 2028-29 
Appropriations/Allocations • 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
$500 
$500 
This bill includes ongoing allocations of $500 to establish the Worldng Waterfront lnfon11atio11 and Technical 
Assistance Fund within the Maine Office of Community Affairs, 
$500 
Any additional costs to the Maine Office of Community Affairs, the Department of Economic and Community 
Development} Office ofTmirism and the Department of Marine Resources to implement the provisions of this bill are 
expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR0869(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1