Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §1866, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 678, §13, is amended to read:

2. Eligibility. An abandoned watercraft is subject to removal under this section only under the following conditions.

A. A permit under Title 38, section 9 has not been granted by the municipal board or commission entrusted with harbor management for the area.

B. A landowner has not granted permission to a watercraft owner to abandon a watercraft on that landowner's property.

C. Notice has been given the director within 120 days of abandonment of watercraft the date that the municipal board or commission determines, in its opinion, that the watercraft has been abandoned after July 1, 1993.

D. Notice has been given the director before January 1, 1994 of watercraft abandoned for less than 25 years before October 9, 1991.

Watercraft that have been abandoned for more than 25 years before October 9, 1991 prior to July 1, 1993 are not subject to removal under this section.

The municipal board or commission entrusted with harbor management is responsible for the notice requirements under this subsection.

Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §1866, sub-§4, ķA, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 678, §13, is amended to read:

A. After notification under subsection 2, the director shall investigate any report of an abandoned watercraft and give notice to the owner if an owner can be identified. The notice must require the owner to respond within 15 days and to remove the watercraft from the coastal waters within 60 days of notification by the director or, if the watercraft is icebound, within 60 days of ice-out in the body of water where the watercraft is located. If the owner of a watercraft to whom the director has given notice does not respond to the notice and remove the watercraft within the time period specified or the owner can not be identified or contacted, the director may initiate removal of the watercraft is considered abandoned.