Maine: let's improve coastal resiliency to protect our beaches!

A public hearing was held on Friday, March 1, 2019 for both LD590, An Act to Promote Climate Resiliency Measures to Protect Beaches and Near-shore Infrastructure and LD774, An Act To Protect Maine's Beaches and Shoreline; read our testimony here.

A work session was held on March 8, 2019 where the Committee tabled both bills.

LD590 was subsequently reported out unfavorably, and was killed on June 3, 2019.

LD774 was carried over to 2020 and was scheduled for a work session on January 17, 2020 at 10AM.

LD774 was voted favorably on February 5 and reported out of Committee favorably on March 3, 2020 to pass as amended. 

“The amendment replaces the bill with a resolve and changes the title. The resolve directs the Department of Environmental Protection to review the report titled “Integrated Beach Management Program Working Group Report,” dated January 2017 and submitted to the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources in the First Regular Session of the 128th Legislature pursuant to Resolve 2015, chapter 66, and to identify and, where necessary and appropriate, develop strategies, legislation or other actions to assist municipalities in the mitigation of coastal erosion in the State and to keep the State's beaches healthy for protection against storms, for habitat protection for coastal wildlife species and for recreational uses. The department is required by January 15, 2021 to report its findings and recommendations following that review, including any proposed legislation necessary to implement those recommendations, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over environment and natural resources matters, which is authorized to report out related legislation.”

The bill passed the House on March 5, the Senate on March 10, and was sent forthwith to be engrossed on March 17, 2020 before the Legislature adjourned in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Historic Account

The original bill would have amended the State's coastal management policies laws to ensure that those policies address the effects of coastal erosion on the State's beaches and shoreline and ensure the health of the State's beaches and shoreline for habitat protection for coastal wildlife species and for protection against storms.

The bill would also create an advisory group on beach management, to be convened by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection for the purpose of developing and recommending objectives, strategies, legislation and other actions to mitigate coastal erosion in the State and to keep beaches healthy for storm protection, habitat protection for coastal wildlife species and for recreational use.

The group would have then been directed to review the report titled “Integrated Beach Management Program Working Group Report,” dated January 2017 and submitted to the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources in the First Regular Session of the 128th Legislature, update the data and findings contained in that report, if necessary, and review and update the specific recommendations for legislative, regulatory or other actions contained in that report, if necessary. No later than February 15, 2020, the commissioner would have been required to submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources containing the findings and recommendations of the group following its review of the 2017 report, including any proposed legislation necessary to implement those recommendations. After reviewing the report, the committee would have been called to report out legislation to implement those recommendations if warranted.

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