Committee advances Sen. Nangle bill to support towns in protecting Maine’s waters

AUGUSTA — On Wednesday, Jan. 14, the Environment and Natural Resources Committee advanced a bill from Sen. Tim Nangle, D-Windham, to help municipalities enforce shoreland zoning laws. LD 1904, “An Act to Establish the Municipal Shoreline Protection Legal Fund,” would create a revolving legal fund to support towns facing significant legal costs when pursuing shoreland zoning violations.

“Sebago Lake provides clean drinking water to thousands of Mainers, and protecting it is not optional,” said Sen. Nangle. “But this bill is about more than one lake — ensuring access to clean water across Maine is, and always will be, a top priority for me, and this legislation ensures communities statewide can hold violators accountable without making local taxpayers foot the bill.”

As amended by the committee, LD 1904 would establish the Municipal Shoreline Protection Legal Fund within the Department of Environmental Protection to help towns cover legal costs when enforcing shoreland zoning laws. The department would administer the fund as a revolving loan program, set clear standards through rulemaking and establish flexible repayment terms that reflect the realities municipalities face when bringing enforcement actions.

To ensure the fund remains viable over time and reduce the need for future appropriations from the Legislature, the committee also amended the bill to direct a portion of penalties collected under the Natural Resources Protection Act to support the fund. This approach allows enforcement-related penalties to be reinvested directly into protecting Maine’s lakes, rivers and shorelines.

The bill was introduced in response to a high-profile case in the town of Raymond, where a property owner replaced 400 feet of shoreline vegetation along Sebago Lake — one of the cleanest sources of drinking water in the country. The town spent more than half a million dollars over three years to enforce its shoreland zoning ordinance. Although the case was ultimately settled in 2024 with restoration beginning later that summer, the experience highlighted the financial barriers many municipalities face when holding violators accountable.

LD 1904 builds on the success of LD 2101 from the 131st Legislature, sponsored by Sen. Nangle and signed into law in 2024, which strengthened municipal enforcement authority for shoreland zoning violations. LD 1904 ensures those tools can be used effectively, regardless of a town’s size or budget.

LD 1904 now awaits votes in the full Senate and House.

Sen. Nangle is serving his second term in the Maine Senate, representing Casco, Frye Island, Raymond, Windham and part of Westbrook. He serves as Senate chair of the Transportation Committee and sits on the Health and Human Services Committee.

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