Resolve, To Assist Maine Local Land Trusts

Sec. 1. State agencies directed to assist local land trusts in identifying funding sources. Resolved: That the Executive Department, State Planning Office shall, in consultation with the Department of Conservation and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, identify potential funding sources for acquisition projects initiated by municipalities and local land trusts. The State Planning Office shall compile information on state and federal programs that award grants, provide matching funds or otherwise financially assist with efforts to conserve land for public recreation. Funding sources for both fee purchases and acquisitions of interest in land must be included. The State Planning Office shall make the information collected available to municipalities and local land trusts.

For the purposes of this resolve, "local land trust" means a nonprofit organization under 26 United States Code, Section 501(c)(3) that, as provided for in its mission statement, acquires land or interest in land within a defined region of the State to promote stewardship or conservation of land with natural features of value to the people of that region; and be it further

Sec. 2. Report to Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Resolved: That the Executive Department, State Planning Office shall report to the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry no later than January 31, 2008 on its findings pursuant to section 1 and the means used to disseminate this information to municipalities and local land trusts; and be it further

Sec. 3. Authority to submit legislation. Resolved: That the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry may submit legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature pertaining to the ability of municipalities and local land trusts to conserve land for public recreation.