BOAT EXCISE TAX
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleIX/Chapter60B/Section2
All sums received from the excise imposed under this chapter shall be paid into the treasury of the city or town and fifty per cent of said excise shall be credited to the municipal waterways improvement and maintenance fund established under the provisions of section five G of chapter forty.
This is the section of law (section five G of chapter 40)
Section 5G. A city or town may establish a municipal waterways improvement and maintenance fund to receive revenue under subsection (i) of section 2 of chapter 60B and under section 10A of chapter 91 and sums received from the commonwealth or the federal government, and may appropriate monies in said fund for (1) maintenance, dredging, cleaning and improvement of harbors, inland waters and great ponds of the commonwealth, (2) the public access thereto, (3) the breakwaters, retaining walls, piers, wharves and moorings thereof, and (4) law enforcement and fire prevention.
Here are the MGL definitions of “inland waters” and “great ponds”
Per https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIV/Chapter131/Section1
”Great pond”, a natural pond the area of which is twenty acres or more.
”Inland waters”, all waters within the jurisdiction of the commonwealth other than coastal waters.
Great Pond is further defined here: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/water/watersheds/chapter-91-the-massachusetts-public-waterfront-act.html “Great Ponds – Any project located in, on, over or under the water of a great pond. A great pond is defined as any pond or lake that contained more than 10 acres in its natural state. Ponds or lakes presently larger than 10 acres are presumed to be great ponds, unless the applicant provides unequivocal evidence to the contrary. Ponds 10 or more acres in their natural state, but which are now smaller, are still considered great ponds.”