The Legislature finds and declares that the highest and best uses of the seacoast of the State are as a source of public and private recreation and solace from the pressures of an industrialized society, and as a source of public use and private commerce in fishing, lobstering and gathering other marine life used and useful in food production and other commercial activities. [PL 1969, c. 572, §1 (NEW).]

The Legislature further finds and declares that the preservation of these uses is a matter of the highest urgency and priority and that such uses can only be served effectively by maintaining the coastal waters, estuaries, tidal flats, beaches and public lands adjoining the seacoast in as close to a pristine condition as possible taking into account multiple use accommodations necessary to provide the broadest possible promotion of public and private interests with the least possible conflicts in such diverse uses. [PL 1969, c. 572, §1 (NEW).]

The Legislature further finds and declares that the transfer of oil, petroleum products and their by-products between vessels and vessels and onshore facilities and vessels within the jurisdiction of the State and state waters and the transportation and other handling of oil in inland areas of the State are hazardous undertakings; that spills, discharges and escape of oil, petroleum products and their by-products occurring as a result of procedures involved in the transfer, storage and other handling of such products pose threats of great danger and damage to the marine, estuarine, inland surface water and adjacent terrestrial environment of the State; to owners and users of shorefront property; to public and private recreation; to citizens of the State and other interests deriving livelihood from marine and inland surface water related activities; and to the beauty of the Maine coast and inland waters; that such hazards have frequently occurred in the past, are occurring now and present future threats of potentially catastrophic proportions, all of which are expressly declared to be inimical to the paramount interests of the State as set forth in this subchapter and that such state interests outweigh any economic burdens imposed by the Legislature upon those engaged in transferring and other handling of oil, petroleum products and their by-products and related activities. [PL 1985, c. 496, Pt. A, §5 (AMD).]

The Legislature intends by the enactment of this legislation to exercise the police power of the State through the Department of Environmental Protection by conferring upon the department the power to deal with the hazards and threats of danger and damage posed by such transfers and related activities; to require the prompt containment and removal of pollution occasioned thereby; to provide procedures whereby persons suffering damage from those occurrences may be promptly made whole; and to establish a fund to provide for the inspection and supervision of those activities and guarantee the prompt payment of reasonable damage claims resulting therefrom. [PL 1989, c. 890, Pt. A, §40 (AFF); PL 1989, c. 890, Pt. B, §106 (AMD).]

The Legislature further finds and declares that the preservation of the public uses referred to in this subchapter is of grave public interest and concern to the State in promoting its general welfare, preventing disease, promoting health and providing for the public safety, and that the state’s interest in such preservation outweighs any burdens of absolute liability imposed by the Legislature upon those engaged in transferring or other handling of oil, petroleum products and their by-products and related activities. [PL 1985, c. 496, Pt. A, §5 (AMD).]