Opinion ID: 2391818
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Contrary to Law

Text: [¶ 26] Having determined that Rule 13 is not beyond the power of BEP and there being no other procedural challenge to the enactment of the rule, we turn to the major contention of CLF and the Gagnebins, that Rule 13 is substantively invalid because it is contrary to the provisions of NRPA. CLF and the Gagnebins also challenge whether Rule 13 meets the section 344(7) requirement of no significant impact upon the environment, but they do so in the context of their argument that Rule 13 is arbitrary and capricious, an argument that is discussed infra. [¶ 27] CLF and the Gagnebins contend that Rule 13 violates section 480-D(1) of NRPA, which requires that any permitted activity not unreasonably interfere with existing scenic, aesthetic, recreational or navigational uses. Johnson argues that the BEP has determined that piers and wharves meeting Rule 13 standards will have no significant impact on the environment, and, therefore, those piers and wharves do not need to meet the NRPA standards. Alternatively, he argues that the BEP's finding of no significant impact is equivalent to a determination that the permitted activity will not unreasonably interfere with existing uses. [¶ 28] We first analyze whether Rule 13 must comply with the NRPA provisions in order to be valid. As we stated above, section 344(7) is the source of authority for the promulgation of a permit by rule regulation for the construction of piers and wharves in coastal wetlands. There is no language in section 344(7) that either allows the BEP to disregard NRPA in the permit by rule regulations or that expressly requires the regulations to comply with NRPA. The silence of section 344(7) in this regard creates an ambiguity as to whether regulations enacted pursuant to section 344(7) must comport with NRPA or can allow for permits for activities that do not strictly comply with NRPA standards. [¶ 29] Because of this ambiguity, we look to the interpretation of the agency charged with administering NRPA and section 344(7). We start with the 1992 version of Rule 13 to ascertain the BEP and DEP's interpretation. [¶ 30] The 1992 version stated that the standards in the rule were designed to insure that piers, wharves and piling projects will not unreasonably interfere with existing scenic, aesthetic or navigational uses. This is identical to the NRPA language in section 480-D(1) except for the omission of the word recreational. This quoted language is not found in the 1995 version of Rule 13. However, a similar statement was placed in the 1995 version of Rule 1, which applies to Rule 13 activities. Furthermore, the Rule 13 standards are almost identical in the 1992 and the 1995 versions. Because the 1992 standards were designed to insure no unreasonable interference with existing uses, the 1995 standards were likewise designed to insure no unreasonable interference. We conclude the DEP and BEP designed Rule 13 to conform to NRPA and that they construe section 344(7) to mean that Rule 13 was required to conform to NRPA. Because this is a reasonable construction of a statute by the agency that administers it, we defer to its construction. [¶ 31] Whether Rule 13 actually meets NRPA requirements is the next question. In answering this question we rely on the agency's expertise. The DEP, as the agency charged with protecting Maine's natural resources, has been entrusted by the Legislature with extensive responsibilities and is expected to have the expertise to carry out those duties, including knowledge of the general uses of the natural resources. In recommending to the BEP the adoption of regulations, the DEP is expected to exercise its expertise as is the BEP in promulgating regulations. When an agency utilizes its expertise in setting policy, as long as it does not contravene its statutory authority, we defer to its policy determinations. See, e.g., C.H. Rich Co. v. Bd. of Envtl. Prot., 567 A.2d 69, 70-71 (Me.1989) (upholding the BEP's denial of wharf replacement permit in which BEP utilized its knowledge of construction of wharves and flow of waters). In recommending and promulgating Rule 13 the DEP and the BEP exercised their respective expertise, including their knowledge of the uses of the coastal wetlands, to set the standards for piers and wharves that would not unreasonably interfere with existing uses and have no significant impact on the environment. [¶ 32] CLF and the Gagnebins have suggested several ways in which Rule 13 does not insure that there will be no reasonable interference with existing uses. For example, with regard to the impact of a proposed pier or wharf on existing scenic or aesthetic uses, they argue that there is no Rule 13 standard that can insure no unreasonable interference. However, the requirement of photographs of the area appears designed to meet this very standard. [7] Indeed, photographs are a means of insuring compliance with this NRPA standard for individual permits as well as permits by rule. See 06-096 CODE ME. R. ch. 310, § 9(B)(4) (2002). We defer to the expertise of the DEP and the BEP, and their assessment that the submission of photographs of the area is a reasonable means of demonstrating the existing scenic and aesthetic uses. The photographs when combined with the submission of the project design plan allow the DEP official who reviews the notification form submitted by the applicant to determine if the proposed project is questionable as to whether it will interfere with existing uses. If the photographs and the design demonstrate that the proposed dock will unreasonably interfere with existing scenic and aesthetic uses, the DEP can deny the Rule 13 permit or contact the applicant with concerns. See id. ch. 305, § 1(C)(1) (1995). [¶ 33] There is no standard in Rule 13 that, on its face, takes into consideration the recreational uses of the location in which the pier or wharf is to be constructed. Even the statement in the 1992 version referring to other scenic, aesthetic or navigational uses omitted the term recreational. However, we think that it is reasonable to defer to the knowledge of the DEP and the BEP of the recreational uses that are made in the coastal wetlands in the locations in which Rule 13 piers and wharves can be constructed. [8] Probably the most common recreational use is boating, and that use is considered in the standards that are concerned with navigation. Another likely recreational use is fishing, and we think it is reasonable to assume that the DEP and the BEP have knowledge of the general recreational fishing use of the areas and concluded that such use would not be interfered with by Rule 13 docks. [¶ 34] CLF and the Gagnebins also argue that the Rule 13 standard restricting the structure to twenty-five percent of the channel does not accomplish the purpose of insuring no unreasonable interference with existing navigational uses because the limitation is meaningless without knowledge of the existing navigational uses of the particular channel. Again, we conclude that it is reasonable to defer to the expertise of the DEP and the BEP and their knowledge of the general navigational uses. Furthermore, the restriction to twenty-five percent of the channel is not the only restriction connected to navigational uses. Under Rule 13, the pier or wharf itself cannot extend beyond the low water mark, and it is only temporary ramps and floats that can extend up to twenty-five percent of the channel. The size of the pier or wharf is limited to the minimum size necessary to accomplish [its] purpose, [9] and it cannot be more than six feet in width. 06-096 CODE ME. R. ch. 305, § 13(B)(8) (1995). It is reasonable to defer to the expertise of the DEP and the BEP concerning the construction of piers and wharves and their knowledge as to how factors such as cost will impose inherent limitations on the size of docks. [¶ 35] CLF and the Gagnebins essentially contend that the entire permit by rule process is inconsistent and incompatible with NRPA because it is impossible to assess the impact of any pier or wharf on existing uses without an individualized review of those uses and the particular dock. However, NRPA standards can be met by narrowly drawn regulations without the requirement of individualized permits. In fact, these regulations may better insure compliance with NRPA than an individualized permit because they are more narrowly drawn than the broader criteria of the NRPA statutes and regulations that govern individual permits. Furthermore, to the extent that a proposed dock, in spite of the requirements of Rule 13, appears to violate NRPA, the DEP has the opportunity, albeit within a short time period, to review the applicant's notice and deny or question it. This ability means that for those presumably rare instances in which the Rule 13 standards may be insufficient to insure that the proposed dock meets the NRPA standards, the DEP can deny the permit. For all of the foregoing reasons we conclude that Rule 13 is not invalid on the ground that it fails to comply with NRPA.
[¶ 36] CLF and the Gagnebins argue that Rule 13 is contrary to law in that it violates the public trust doctrine because it does not protect the public's rights. The public trust doctrine means, for the owner of coastal property, that the owner's property rights in the intertidal zone are subject to the public's rights to fishing, fowling and navigation. However, the public's rights in these activities have always been subject to the owner's right to wharf out to the navigable portion of the body of water. Great Cove Boat Club v. Bureau of Pub. Lands, 672 A.2d 91, 95 (Me.1996). The right of the land owner to construct a wharf to the navigable water is subject to reasonable regulation, id. (citing Whitmore v. Brown, 102 Me. 47, 56, 65 A. 516, 520 (1906)), and Rule 13 is reasonable regulation. The public trust doctrine does not invalidate Rule 13.