ME LD1904

Creates the Municipal Shoreline Protection Legal Fund within the Office of Policy Innovation and the Future to help municipalities pay legal costs for pursuing egregious shoreland zoning violations

Appropriates $100,000 in one-time General Fund money for fiscal year 2025-26 to establish the fund, with a required minimum balance of $100,000 maintained in future years

Requires municipalities that receive funding to reimburse the fund within 6 months of settlement or final adjudication of their legal claim

Fund may accept money from public or private sources, with interest earnings credited to the fund and unexpended balances carried forward without lapsing

Directs the department to adopt routine technical rules to administer the fund and distribute money to qualifying municipalities