127th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 1041		LR 1127(02)
	An Act To Restore Farmlands and Improve Watersheds
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
			FY 2015-16	FY 2016-17	Projections  FY 2017-18	Projections  FY 2018-19
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund		$95,840	$126,423	$131,080	$135,923
Appropriations/Allocations
	General Fund		$95,840	$126,423	$131,080	$135,923
	Other Special Revenue Funds		$500	$500	$500	$500
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	The bill establishes the Farmland Restoration Program within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to provide assistance in improving lands for certain purposes. The program provides payments of up to 50% of the cost or $20,000, whichever is less, to approved restoration projects or 90% of the restoration costs, up to $20,000, for projects involving state-owned or municipal-owned farmland. This bill creates the Farmland Restoration Fund to make payments under the program. The fund may accept money from any public or private source as its funding. The bill includes a base Other Special Revenue Funds allocation of $500 annually beginning in fiscal year 2015-16 to allow for expenditure of any funding received. Because no funding is provided in the bill, it also includes General Fund appropriations of $95,840 in fiscal year 2015-16 and $126,423 in fiscal year 2016-17 for one Public Service Coordinator I position, one half-time Senior Planner position, one-time rulemaking costs and other related costs to set up and manage the program.
	Additional appropriations may be required to accomplish the purposes of this bill if adequate funding is not received from public and private sources. It should be noted that LD 386 is a proposed bond issue in the 127th Legislature and the proceeds could be used for the purposes of this program.