Sen. Stacy Brenner supports Land for Maine’s Future bond

AUGUSTA – On Monday, Sen. Stacy Brenner, D-Scarborough, testified in support of LD 983, “An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Promote Land Conservation, Working Waterfronts, Water Access and Outdoor Recreation.” The bill, sponsored by Sen. Cathy Breen, D-Falmouth, was the subject of a public hearing before the Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee. 

“By all accounts, I am a sort of poster child for the success of the Land for Maine’s Future program. I’m not from Maine, but I had a dream to farm. It was the abundant open acres of tillable land and the clean water that brought me here, and I have more than realized my goal,” said Sen. Brenner. “My husband and I now own and operate a farm business, Broadturn Farm, on rented land. The land is owned by the Scarborough Land Trust. They conserved it in 2004 with money from the Land for Maine’s Future program. These 434 acres I’ve been blessed to call home for the last 15 years and rely on to support my family, my employees and our community would not be actively farmed had it not been for the Land for Maine’s Future program.” 

LD 983 would provide a bond issue in the amount of $80 million to be used for the Land for Maine’s Future program. The program works to conserve land for farming, recreation and additional purposes throughout all 16 counties in Maine. 

The bill faces further action in committee.

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