An Act to Establish the Working Waterfront Advisory Council

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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1845
H.P. 1229 House of Representatives, April 30, 2025
An Act to Establish the Working Waterfront Advisory Council
Reference to the Committee on Marine Resources suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative RIELLY of Westbrook.
Cosponsored by Senator DUSON of Cumberland and
Representatives: GERE of Kennebunkport, GOLEK of Harpswell, MINGO of Calais,
SIMMONS of Waldoboro, STROUT of Harrington, Senators: BAILEY of York, MOORE of
Washington, RENY of Lincoln.

Page 1 - 132LR0025(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§68-D is enacted to read:
368-D.
Working
Waterfronts
Working Waterfront Advisory Council Not Authorized 12 MRSA
§6043
4Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6043 is enacted to read:
7§6043. Working Waterfront Advisory Council
8 The Working Waterfront Advisory Council, established by Title 5, section 12004-I,
9 subsection 68-D and referred to in this section as "the council," is established to address
10 issues facing the State's working waterfronts.
111. Membership. The Director of the Maine Office of Community Affairs, referred to
12 in this section as "the director," shall appoint up to 15 members to the council who, to the
13 extent possible, must represent federally recognized Indian nations, tribes or bands in the
14 State, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, trade organizations, educational institutions,
15 individuals and industries that represent or use working waterfronts in the State. To the
16 extent possible, the membership of the council must reflect a geographic distribution along
17 the coast.
18 In making appointments, the director shall consider and appoint residents of the State who
19 have knowledge of problems facing working waterfronts in the State, who have experience
20 in advocacy relating to working waterfront issues or who provide leadership in programs
21 or activities that create and improve opportunities or spread awareness related to working
22 waterfronts and persons that use them.
232. Term. A member's term is for 3 years. If a member is unable to complete the term,
24 the director shall appoint a member pursuant to subsection 1 to serve out the unexpired
25 portion of the term.
263. Officers; staff. The officers of the council are the chair and the vice-chair. The
27 term of the officers is one year. The council shall elect a member of the council for each
28 officer position at the first regular meeting of each year. The council is staffed by the
29 program within the Department of Marine Resources for the conservation and development
30 of the State's coastal resources for the public benefit.
314. Meetings. The council shall meet at least 4 times a year. It may meet at other times
32 at the call of the chair or the director.
335. Council report. By February 1, 2026 and annually thereafter, the council shall
34 submit a report to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over
35 economic and community development matters and marine resources matters on the status
36 of the condition of, the current and future challenges concerning and recommendations
37 related to working waterfronts in the State, including, but not limited to:
38 A. How to best use state agencies, municipal governments, working waterfront
39 industries and citizen groups to protect and improve access to working waterfronts in
40 the State;
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Page 2 - 132LR0025(01)
1 B. Matters of interest to working waterfront industries and communities in the State,
2 including, but not limited to, geographic information systems mapping and inventory,
3 climate and resilience, preservation and access, affordable workforce housing, climate-
4 driven relocation, water quality and ecosystems, workforce development, health care
5 access, marine resources economy and economic development, including public-
6 private partnerships, decarbonization and electrification and developing new working
7 waterfronts; and
8 C. Information on relevant existing federal, state, municipal, educational organization
9 and nonprofit organization data, plans, recommendations and studies that relate to
10 working waterfronts in the State and updates on progress made in state plans that
11 include references to working waterfronts.
12 After reviewing the report, the joint standing committees may report out legislation to
13 implement any recommendations contained in the report.
146. Director report. By February 1, 2026 and annually thereafter, the director shall
15 submit a report to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over
16 initiatives proposed by the Maine Office of Community Affairs on the status of initiatives
17 regarding working waterfronts, including information from coalitions, task forces and
18 engagements with municipal and tribal governments. After reviewing the report, the joint
19 standing committees may report out legislation to implement any recommendations
20 contained in the report.
21Sec. 3. Working Waterfront Advisory Council initial membership
22appointments. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 6043,
23 subsection 2, in making the initial membership appointments to the Working Waterfront
24 Advisory Council established pursuant to Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 68-D, the
25 Director of the Maine Office of Community Affairs shall make the initial membership
26 appointment terms staggered so that approximately 1/3 of the members are appointed for a
27 term of 3 years, approximately 1/3 of the members are appointed for a term of 2 years and
28 approximately 1/3 of the members are appointed for a term of one year.
29SUMMARY
30 This bill creates the Working Waterfront Advisory Council to address issues affecting
31 the State's working waterfronts and requires the council to submit a report by February 1,
32 2026 and annually thereafter to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having
33 jurisdiction over economic and community development matters and marine resources
34 matters on the status of the condition of, the current and future challenges concerning and
35 recommendations related to working waterfronts in the State. The bill also requires the
36 Director of the Maine Office of Community Affairs to submit a report by February 1, 2026
37 and annually thereafter to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having
38 jurisdiction over initiatives proposed by the Maine Office of Community Affairs regarding
39 working waterfronts, including information from coalitions, task forces and engagements
40 with municipal and tribal governments.
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