| forward to the next fiscal year.__Any interest earned on assets | of the fund is credited to the fund. |
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| | 2.__Fees.__In accordance with the authority of the | commissioner to levy lease rents pursuant to section 6072, | subsections 9 and 13 and section 6072-A, subsection 14 and | application fees pursuant to section 6072, subsections 4, 12 and | 12-A, the commissioner shall adopt routine technical rules as | defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A to implement a | fee structure for lease rents and application fees that are in | addition to the minimum lease rents and application fees that are | in effect on the effective date of this subsection.__Any rent or | fee assessed pursuant to this subsection that is in addition to | the fees that are in effect on the effective date of this | subsection must be credited to the fund.__A person who does not | pay the rent or fee commits a civil violation for which a fine of | not more than $1,000 may be adjudged. |
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| | 3.__Additional revenues.__The commissioner may expend annual | revenues that are in excess of the operating expenses of a | program under subsection 4 to address matters that the | commissioner determines are of an emergency nature to the State's | aquaculture industry, to address matters that the commissioner | determines are of long-term interest to the State's aquaculture | industry and to rebate revenues to all those persons who paid | fees under subsection 2.__The fund may receive money from any | source for the purposes of this subsection. |
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| | 4.__Uses of fund.__The commissioner may make expenditures from | the fund to develop and manage effective and cost-efficient water | quality licensing and monitoring criteria, analyze and evaluate | monitoring data, process lease applications and make information | about aquaculture available to the public. |
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| | 5.__Reports.__On or before February 1st of each year, the | commissioner shall report to the joint standing committee of the | Legislature having jurisdiction over marine resources matters on | all expenditures made from the fund in the previous fiscal year | and a summary of work accomplished and planned. |
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| | Sec. A-17. 12 MRSA §6077, first ¶, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 381, §6, | is amended to read: |
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| | The department is responsible for establishing and maintaining | a comprehensive may establish and maintain an information base | pertaining to all aspects of the siting, development and | operation of finfish aquaculture facilities within the State. |
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