The Endangered or Threatened Marine Species Fund, referred to in this section as “the fund,” is established within the department.
1. Sources.-- The commissioner may receive donations and funding from any source on behalf of the fund.
2. Purpose; use of fund.-- The purpose of the fund is to support activities related to the management of endangered or threatened marine species. All money received into the fund must be used for the purposes of the fund.
3. Interest and balances credited to fund.-- Any interest earned on the money in the fund must be credited to the fund. Unexpended balances in the fund at the end of the fiscal year do not lapse but must be carried forward to the next fiscal year and credited to the fund to be used for the purposes of this section.
Citation: 12 M.R.S.A. § 6978.
In developing the strategic plan provided for by section 10308, subsection 5, paragraph A and reviewing and awarding grant proposals submitted pursuant to section 10308, subsection 5, paragraph B, the board shall consider whether a project involves:...
2. Acquisition and management of public lands, parks, wildlife conservation areas, and public access and outdoor recreation sites and facilities. For the category of acquisition and management of public lands, parks, wildlife conservation areas, and public access and outdoor recreation sites and facilities:...
C. Habitat of a threatened or endangered species listed under state or federal law...
3. Conservation of endangered and threatened species and their habitats. For the category of conservation of endangered and threatened species and their habitats:
A. A species or species group listed as endangered or threatened under state or federal law;
B. The habitat of one or more species or groups under paragraph A;
C. A species or species group not listed as threatened or endangered but, based on the best available scientific information, potentially warranting listing in the near future;
D. A species, group of species, natural community or ecosystem that has been documented as being in decline or recognized as being at risk of extirpation from the State;
E. Any species, group of species, natural community or ecosystem thought in the best professional judgment of biologists to be in decline or in danger of extirpation from the State but whose status is undetermined; and
F. Available matching funds...
The board shall make grants, applications for which must be reviewed in accordance with section 10309, to natural resources agencies for projects found consistent with the criteria and the strategic plan adopted by the board pursuant to section 10308, subsection 5, paragraph A. Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, the board shall distribute annually available grant money as follows:...
3. Endangered and threatened species. Fifteen percent of the money in the fund for endangered and threatened species conservation projects...
The board is authorized to carry forward money in any of the percentage categories of this section into a successive year in the same category in the event that this carry-over better serves the strategic plan or that no grant applications in a particular year adhere to the strategic plan for a particular percentage category.
Citation: 12 M.R.S.A. § 10307.
The criteria in this section are not listed in order of priority. A grant applicant must indicate in the proposal the subsection under which the board should evaluate the proposals.
Citation: 12 M.R.S.A. § 10309.