Bill > LD65

This bill updates the legal definition of "coastal wetlands" in Maine's environmental protection laws by replacing previous definitions with a more comprehensive description. Specifically, the bill defines coastal wetlands as areas with vegetation that can tolerate salt water and primarily exist in saltwater or estuarine environments, and also includes all tidal and subtidal lands, swamps, marshes, bogs, beaches, flats, and other low-lying areas that are subject to tidal action during the highest astronomical tide, as determined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The definition also clarifies that coastal wetlands can include portions of coastal sand dunes. By updating this definition across multiple sections of Maine Revised Statutes (38 MRSA §436-A and §480-B), the bill ensures a consistent and precise understanding of coastal wetlands, which is important for environmental protection, land use planning, and shoreland zoning regulations.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=65&snum=132