Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §12805, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. D, §7, is amended to read:

§12805. Cooperative agreements

The commissioner may enter into agreements with federal agencies, other states, state agencies, political subdivisions of this State or private persons for the establishment and maintenance of programs for the conservation of endangered or threatened species and may receive all federal funds allocated for obligations to the State pursuant to these agreements.

Federal funds received for the conservation of endangered marine species listed pursuant to section 6022, subsection 16 must be allocated directly to the Department of Marine Resources to ensure compliance with any conditions of the listing.

Sec. 3. Temporary authority. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 6022, subsection 16 and section 12803, until 180 days after the adjournment of the Second Regular Session of the 121st Legislature the Commissioner of Marine Resources may designate a marine species found in the State as a state endangered or state threatened species if that species is listed as an endangered or threatened species by the United States Secretary of the Interior, pursuant to the United States Endangered Species Act of 1973, Public Law 93-205, as amended.

SUMMARY

This bill gives the Commissioner of Marine Resources the authority to recommend endangered or threatened marine species to the Legislature for designation on the state endangered or state threatened species list.

The bill also gives the commissioner temporary authority to designate a marine species found in the State as a state endangered or state threatened species if that species is listed as an endangered or threatened species by the United States Secretary of the Interior.