§10305.__Fund availability

The fund must be available to natural resources agencies in accordance with section 10307.__Natural resources agencies may contract with nongovernmental organizations and individuals for the purpose of carrying out projects funded by the fund.

§10306.__Fund administration

The Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund Board shall administer the fund.

§10307.__Expenditures from fund; distribution

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:

1.__Fisheries and wildlife; habitat conservation.__Thirty-five percent of the money in the fund for fisheries and wildlife and habitat conservation projects;

2.__Public lands and access; outdoor recreation sites and facilities.__Thirty-five percent of the money in the fund for acquisition and management of public lands, parks, wildlife conservation areas and public access and outdoor recreation sites and facilities;

3.__Endangered and threatened species.__Fifteen percent of the money in the fund for endangered and threatened species conservation projects; and

4.__Natural resources law enforcement.__Fifteen percent of the money in the fund for natural resources law enforcement.

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.