The agency shall notify the department regarding the dam owner's compliance with paragraphs B and C within 60 days of receiving the information from the dam owners. The department shall reject the petition if the agency has determined that the prospective owner has not complied with paragraphs B and C.

Sec. 2. 38 MRSA §909, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 789, §4 and affected by §5, is amended to read:

§909. Technical assistance; municipal cost sharing

To the extent existing resources are available, when one or more municipalities seeks ownership of a dam, the State Planning Office may provide grants and technical assistance to the participating municipality or municipalities or to regional planning organizations. If the ownership of a nonenergy generating dam is assumed by a municipality, 75% of the operational funding must be provided by the State through the Local Government Fund under the state-municipal revenue sharing program.__The amount of the shared operational funding must be determined prior to the allocation of the state-municipal revenue sharing funds throughout the State.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This bill requires prospective dam owners under the dam abandonment statutes to provide a plan to the Maine Emergency Management Agency that provides proof of sufficient liability insurance and compliance with Maine Emergency Management Agency regulations. This bill also provides that if the ownership of a dam is assumed by a municipality, 75% of the operational funding must be provided by the State through the Local Government Fund under the state-municipal revenue sharing program.