Whereas, the Department of Marine Resources has pending before it applications for leases for review; and

Whereas, it is necessary that this legislation be enacted as an emergency in order that the department may apply the new criteria when reviewing the pending applications; and

Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6072, sub-§7-A, ¶¶E and F, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 453, §1, are amended to read:

E. The applicant has demonstrated that there is an available source of organisms to be cultured for the lease site; and

F. The lease does not unreasonably interfere with public use or enjoyment within 1,000 3,000 feet of municipally owned, state owned or federally owned beaches and parks or municipally owned, state owned or federally owned docking facilities.; and

Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6072, sub-§7-A, ¶G is enacted to read:

G.__The lease will not adversely affect the rights of riparian owners by diminishing their overall economic interests, including property values; by creating a nuisance; by negatively affecting aesthetic values and views; by negatively affecting ecological conditions; or by being incompatible with existing recreational and residential uses.

For purposes of this paragraph, "riparian owner"__means a shorefront owner whose property boundaries are within 3,000 feet of the proposed lease boundaries.

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