1. Fund established. There is established the Conservation and Recreation Fund that is administered by the board. The Conservation and Recreation Fund consists of the proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized for the purposes set forth in subsection 3 and funds received as contributions from private and public sources for those purposes. The Conservation and Recreation Fund must be held separate and apart from all other money, funds and accounts, except that eligible investment earnings credited to the assets of the Conservation and Recreation Fund become part of the assets of the Land for Maine’s Future Trust Fund. Any balance remaining in the Conservation and Recreation Fund at the end of a fiscal year must be carried forward for the next fiscal year.

[PL 2023, c. 284, §9 (NEW).]

Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 5 Sec. 6203-E

  • Appraised value: means the fair market value of property without the consideration of the effect, if any, of dedication or other preservation-related restrictions. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 5 Sec. 6201
  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Community conservation project: means a conservation project of local or regional significance that promotes one or more of the following: public outdoor recreational access to land and waters, including for underserved populations; public health; connection between conserved lands and population centers; local or regional agriculture; conservation of cultural and historical resources on undeveloped lands; protection of lakes, rivers or streams; conservation of fish or wildlife habitat; protection of public drinking water supplies; conservation of community forests; local economic development; opportunities for environmental learning; nonmotorized transportation options; or other priorities as determined by the board. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 5 Sec. 6201
  • Cooperating entities: means those private nonprofit organizations, municipal conservation commissions, local governments, federal agencies or other bodies designated by the Land for Maine's Future Board pursuant to section 6203?E or 6203?F. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 5 Sec. 6201
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • lands: includes lands and all tenements and hereditaments connected therewith, and all rights thereto and interests therein. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Matching funds: means any combination of public and private funds used in conjunction with the Land for Maine's Future Trust Fund, the Public Access to Maine Waters Fund, the Maine Working Farmland Access and Protection Fund, the Conservation and Recreation Fund and the Conservation Land Management Fund for the purpose of this chapter, including, but not limited to: private contributions of cash or securities; money from municipal or other public agencies; money from a federal matching program, subject to the limitations of applicable federal and state laws, in an amount authorized by the federal program; contributions of real property, or interest in real property, that serves the acquisition needs of the State as determined by the Land for Maine's Future Board; in-kind contributions; or any combination of those funds. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 5 Sec. 6201
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
2. Grants; matching funds. The board may make grants to state agencies and designated cooperating entities for the purposes identified in subsection 3. For each grant made under this subsection, the board shall require the grant recipient to provide matching funds at least equal to the amount of the grant. Grants must be made according to rules adopted by the board. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in chapter 375, subchapter 2?A.

[PL 2023, c. 284, §9 (NEW).]

3. Fund proceeds. The proceeds of the Conservation and Recreation Fund may be applied and expended to:
A. Acquire property or an interest in property that is determined by the board to be of statewide significance or for a community conservation project under the guidelines of this chapter; [PL 2023, c. 284, §9 (NEW).]
B. When interest in land is acquired with proceeds from the Conservation and Recreation Fund, fund minor capital improvements on such lands and on adjoining lands in the same ownership or under the same management to improve accessibility, as long as these improvements do not exceed 5% of the appraised value of the acquired property; [PL 2023, c. 284, §9 (NEW).]
C. When land or interest in land is acquired with proceeds from the Conservation and Recreation Fund, fund minor capital investments in the stewardship and management of that land. Stewardship and management investments under this paragraph must be held in a dedicated stewardship endowment and identified for use on the funded property. Stewardship and management investments may not exceed 5% of the appraised value of the acquired property; and [PL 2023, c. 284, §9 (NEW).]
D. When land or interest in land for deer wintering areas is acquired with proceeds from the Conservation and Recreation Fund pursuant to section 6207, subsection 2, paragraph E, fund the development of a management plan to provide for the land’s continuing function as a deer wintering area, as long as the cost of the plan and any investments related to that land under paragraph C do not exceed 5% of the appraised value of the acquired property. A management plan developed under this paragraph may also apply to adjoining deer wintering areas in the same ownership or under the same management. [PL 2023, c. 284, §9 (NEW).]

[PL 2023, c. 284, §9 (NEW).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 2023, c. 284, §9 (NEW).
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