The Legislature finds and declares that public access to the Maine coast is of great importance to people of the State who make their living in the marine and maritime industries and to those who enjoy the natural beauty of our coastal shorelines; that the State of Maine and coastal municipalities own less than 3% of Maine’s shoreline, the lowest percentage of publicly owned shoreline of any coastal state in the United States; that the Maine coast is experiencing intense development pressure that is further limiting public access to the shore; and that the rising costs of coastal shorefront property, together with the diminishing opportunities for access to coastal shoreline, require the establishment of a state program to encourage and support the acquisition of shoreland areas for public uses. [PL 1985, c. 794, Pt. B (NEW).]