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An Act To Allow the Deposition of Oyster Shell Cultch To Ameliorate Ocean and Coastal Acidification
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6521, sub-§1, as repealed and replaced by PL 2007, c. 615, §16, is amended to read:
 
1. Deposition of dead marine animals; exception.   A person may not deposit or discard, in intertidal zones or in harbors or rivers below the dividing line between tidewater and fresh water, any dead marine animal or its parts, except that:
 
A. A person may deposit oyster shell cultch in those waters solely to promote growth of oysters with the written permission of the commissioner and under any conditions the commissioner determines appropriate; and
 
B. The commissioner may grant an exception to this subsection within federal requirements for the purpose of conducting research on dead marine animals.; and
 
C.  A person may deposit oyster shell cultch in those waters to ameliorate ocean and coastal acidification with the written permission of the commissioner, who may issue permission taking into consideration any conditions the commissioner considers appropriate.
 
SUMMARY
This bill allows the deposition of oyster shell cultch in intertidal zones or in harbors or rivers below the dividing line between tidewater and fresh water to ameliorate ocean and coastal acidification with the written permission of the Commissioner of Marine Resources, who may issue permission taking into consideration any conditions the commissioner considers appropriate.