An Act to Simplify the Regulation of Aquaculture Leases
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1722
Committee: Marine Resources
Sponsors: RIELLY
Amends: 12 MRSA §6072, 12 MRSA §6072-A

Legislative Document
No. 1722
H.P. 1149
House of Representatives, April 17, 2025
An Act to Simplify the Regulation of Aquaculture Leases
Reference to the Committee on Marine Resources suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative RIELLY of Westbrook.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §6072, sub-§12, as amended by PL 2023, c. 564, §5, is repealed 
and the following enacted in its place:
12.  Renewal.  Upon the receipt of an application for renewal from a person who holds 
a lease under this section, the commissioner shall renew the lease as soon as possible 
following receipt of the complete application.
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §6072, sub-§12-D, as enacted by PL 2023, c. 564, §7, is repealed 
and the following enacted in its place:
12-D.  Conversion of limited-purpose lease for commercial purposes.  A person 
who holds a limited-purpose lease for commercial purposes pursuant to section 6072-A 
may apply to convert that lease to a lease under this section as long as the application is for 
the same lease area and same operations authorized by the limited-purpose lease. The 
commissioner shall convert the limited-purpose lease as soon as possible following receipt 
of a complete application that meets the requirements of this subsection.
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §6072-A, sub-§20-A, as enacted by PL 2023, c. 564, §12, is 
amended to read:
20-A.  Extension for conversion of a commercial lease.  If a person who holds a 
limited-purpose lease for commercial aquaculture research and development submits an 
application under section 6072, subsection 12‑D for that same lease area and the same 
operations before the expiration of that limited-purpose lease, and if the commissioner does 
not make a decision under section 6072, subsection 12‑D before the expiration of that 
limited-purpose lease, the limited-purpose lease remains in effect until the commissioner 
makes a decision under section 6072, subsection 12‑D. If the commissioner grants the 
person a lease under section 6072, subsection 12‑D, that the person's limited-purpose lease 
remains in effect until the effective date of the lease issued under section 6072, subsection 
12‑D. If the commissioner denies that person a lease under section 6072, subsection 12‑D, 
that person's limited-purpose lease remains in effect until 30 days after the commissioner's 
decision.
Sec. 4.  Department of Marine Resources to amend rules and forms.  The 
Department of Marine Resources shall amend its rules and modify forms as necessary to 
reflect the changes made by this Act related to the renewal of aquaculture leases under the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 6072 and the conversion of a limited-purpose 
lease for commercial aquaculture research and development under Title 12, section 6072, 
subsection 12-D.
SUMMARY
This bill amends provisions of law governing aquaculture leases. The bill changes the 
process for renewing a standard aquaculture lease, including the language that designates 
the renewal of a lease as an adjudicatory proceeding under the Maine Administrative 
Procedure Act, by replacing the existing process with language that requires the 
Commissioner of Marine Resources to renew the lease as soon as possible upon receipt of 
a complete application. A standard aquaculture lease refers to a lease granted under the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 6072.
The bill also replaces the existing process to convert a limited-purpose lease for 
commercial aquaculture research and development to a standard aquaculture lease for the 
same lease area and same operations authorized by the limited-purpose lease. The bill 
requires the commissioner to approve the conversion as soon as possible upon receipt of a 
complete application that meets those requirements. 
The bill directs the Department of Marine Resources to update its rules and forms 
consistent with this legislation.