Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 544-N – Prohibited acts
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1. Defacing or damaging cave prohibited. A person may not deface or damage a cave. A person defaces or damages a cave if the person, without the prior written permission of the owner:
A. Breaks, breaks off, cracks, carves upon, writes or otherwise marks upon or in any manner destroys, mutilates, injures, defaces, removes, displaces, mars or harms any natural material found in a cave; [PL 2001, c. 113, §1 (NEW).]
B. Kills, harms or disturbs plant or animal life found in a cave, except for safety reasons; [PL 2001, c. 113, §1 (NEW).]
C. Disturbs or alters the natural condition of a cave or takes into a cave any aerosol or other container containing paints, dyes or other coloring agents; [PL 2001, c. 113, §1 (NEW).]
D. Stores, dumps, litters, disposes of or otherwise places any refuse, garbage, dead animal, sewage or toxic substance harmful to cave life or humans in a cave; [PL 2001, c. 113, §1 (NEW).]
E. Burns within a cave any material that produces smoke or gas that is harmful to any organism in the cave; or [PL 2001, c. 113, §1 (NEW).]
F. Breaks, forces, tampers with, removes or otherwise disturbs a lock, gate, door, sign or other structure or obstruction designed to prevent entrance to a cave, whether or not entrance is gained. [PL 2001, c. 113, §1 (NEW).]
[PL 2001, c. 113, §1 (NEW).]
Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 544-N
- Cave: includes natural subsurface water and drainage systems, but does not include any mine, tunnel or other artificial excavation. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 544-J
- Cave life: means any life-form normally found in a cave. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 544-J
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Owner: means a person who owns title to land where a cave is located. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 544-J
2. Forfeiture. A person who violates the provisions of this subchapter commits a civil violation for which a forfeiture of up to $1,000 may be adjudged.
[PL 2001, c. 113, §1 (NEW).]
3. Damages may be collected by landowner. A person who intentionally defaces or damages a cave on private land in violation of subsection 1 is liable to the owner of that land for actual damages recoverable through a civil action.
[PL 2001, c. 113, §1 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 2001, c. 113, §1 (NEW).