Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §551, first ¶, as amended by PL 1995, c. 399, §2 and affected by §21, is further amended to read:

The Maine Coastal and Inland Surface Oil Clean-up Fund is established to be used by the department as a nonlapsing, revolving fund for carrying out the purposes of this subchapter. The fund is limited to $6,000,000 $7,000,000, the sum of which includes all funds credited under this section. The Department of Environmental Protection shall collect fees in accordance with subsection 4. To this fund are credited all license fees, penalties, reimbursements and other fees and charges related to this subchapter, and to this fund are charged any and all expenses of the department related to this subchapter, including administrative expenses, costs of removal of discharges of pollutants, restoration of water supplies and 3rd-party damages covered by this subchapter.

Sec. 2. 38 MRSA §551, sub-§1-A, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 454, §8, is amended to read:

1-A. Sensitive area data management and mapping. The Legislature may allocate no more than $350,000 per year of the amount then currently in the fund until fiscal year 1994-95 to mapping, data management and computerization related to the protection of sensitive areas and similar activities required under section 546-B. This limitation does not include personnel costs. The allocations must be made in accordance with section 555. After fiscal year 1993-94, the Legislature must review the need for these activities before allocating additional funds.

Sec. 3. 38 MRSA §551, sub-§1-B, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 720, §3, is amended to read:

1-B. Research and development. The Legislature may allocate not more than $100,000 $250,000 per annum of the amount first $6,000,000 currently in the fund and not more than $750,000 per annum of the amount in excess of $6,000,000 currently in the fund to be devoted to research and development in the causes, effects and removal of pollution caused by oil, petroleum products and their by-products on the marine environment and to research and development in the characterization of the marine ecosystem, especially the subtidal and benthic habitat and fisheries that may be damaged by oil, petroleum products and their by-products. Researchers shall use commercial fishing vessels as platforms to the extent practicable. Such allocations must be made in accordance with section 555. This subsection takes effect July 1, 1996.

Sec. 4. 38 MRSA §551, sub-§4, ¶E, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 817, §16, is amended to read: