AUGUSTA – A bill proposed to limit the horsepower of boats on Long Lake and Brandy Pond in Cumberland County has been revived for debate during the upcoming state legislative session, which starts in January.

The measure offered by Rep. Richard Sykes, R-Harrison, was added to the lineup by the Legislative Council after Sykes appealed an earlier decision to exclude the legislation from debate for the second half of the 123rd legislative session.

Sykes hopes to limit motorboat engines to less than 500 horsepower on the 11-mile Long Lake, which stretches from Harrison to Naples and also borders Bridgton.

Sykes proposed the measure after a deadly boating collision on Long Lake in August claimed the lives of Terry Raye Trott and Suzanne Groetzinger.

Trott, 55, of Naples, and Groetzinger, 44, of Berwick and Norway, were killed after their 14-foot motorboat was struck by a 34-foot, dual-engine high-performance boat piloted by Robert LaPointe Jr., 38, of Medway, Mass.

LaPointe’s craft was powered by two 435-horsepower engines and traveling at an estimated 45 miles per hour in the dark when it struck the smaller craft, according to game wardens and the Cumberland County district attorney. LaPointe and his passenger, 19-year-old Nichole Randall of Bridgton, were ejected from LaPointe’s boat and swam an estimated 1,000 yards to shore uninjured, wardens said.

LaPointe was later indicted by a Cumberland County grand jury on two counts of manslaughter and four counts of aggravated operating under the influence. He was also indicted on one count of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon. He is expected to be arraigned on the charges in Portland on Nov. 27.

Sykes has previously said most of his constituents’ concerns deal with speed on the lake, but boating speed limits are difficult to enforce. Instead, he wants to establish a horsepower restriction.

Another bill offered by Sykes, which seeks to set guidelines for the operation of boats by minors, was also accepted for consideration in the upcoming session. Attempts to reach Sykes for comment Tuesday were unsuccessful.

The bills were first rejected by legislative leadership, but were added to a list of 194 bills to be heard in the coming session.

Also on the list is a bill offered by Rep. Thomas Watson, D-Bath, requiring boater safety education in Maine.