New bill would ban floating camps from Maine waters
By Julie Harris, Bangor Daily News Staff
A new bill before the Legislature would ban floating camps and other nonwater-dependent structures from Maine’s inland or coastal waters.
It also would establish a fine system ranging from $100 to $500 for violations, and make it legal for state, municipal or other enforcement authorities to remove, sell, destroy or keep the illegal structure.
LD 1763, An Act to Regulate Nonwater-dependent Floating Structures on Maine’s Waters, sponsored by Rep. Allison Hepler, D-Woolwich, also more clearly defines regulations for watercraft, houseboats and homemade watercraft, such as picnic table boats.
FLOATING CAMP — A year-round floating rental camp on Moosehead Lake.
Floating camps, which resemble camps you see onshore but are anchored on the lake bottom or tied to a dock, are increasing in numbers. Some have decks, flower pots and other on-shore amenities. Some are offered as rentals.
Vague legal definitions of houseboats and watercraft and jurisdictional issues over enforcement have made it impossible for the state to regulate floating camps. This bill addresses all of those issues.
It defines houseboats, watercraft, docks, vessels, moorings, homemade watercraft, nonwater-dependent structure, navigation, water toys and ice shacks among others. It also defines floating homes as floating house, floating camp or house barge, plus any other structure used as a residence and cannot be used for transportation.
Houseboats can be used for transportation.
Exceptions allowed include swimming structures such as floats, water toys, ice fishing shacks and aquaculture facilities. It does not address where floating restaurants tied to a dock fit in.
The bill will be heard by the Legislature’s Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife before it goes to the full Legislature. Neither the public hearing nor the work session with the committee were scheduled as of Thursday afternoon.
Bill sponsors include Sen. Stacey Guerin, R-Penobscot, Rep. Richard Mason, R-Lisbon, Rep. Chad Perkins, R-Dover-Foxcroft and Rep. James Dill, D-Old Town.