On November 2, 1999, voters in the State of Maine approved by a significant majority (68.6%) a $50 million bond issue for land and water conservation. The funds will be available to the Land For Maine's Future Board (LMFB) over the next several years with approved projects required to provide $25,000.000 in cash or in-kind contributions.

The Board, created in 1987 to dispense $35,000,000 to obtain and make public lands of statewide significance, will now also consider projects of regional or local significance, according to requirements of the bond issue legislation. In addition, up to 10% of the funds must be spent for farmland preservation and another 10% for purchases providing access to water.

The requests for proposals are anticipated to be distributed in late winter or early spring of 2000. In addition to new proposals, LMFB Mark DesMeules expects many previous proposals to be resubmitted. Available funds prevented many of the proposals submitted since 1987 from being approved. "Those were top-of-the-line proposals and will still be good top-of-the line proposals" in the next round, DesMeules said at a recent four-hour LMFB meeting in Augusta.

The board has plans to hold a two-day "retreat," open to the public, to prepare for spending the $50,000.000.
(Extracted from an article by Phyllis Austin, in the Maine Times 11/18/99)