CHAPTER 201-A

GEOLOGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Sec. 10. 12 MRSA c. 201-A, sub-c. I, as amended, is further amended by repealing the subchapter headnote and enacting the following in its place:

SUBCHAPTER I

BUREAU OF GEOLOGY AND NATURAL AREAS

Sec. 11. 12 MRSA §541, as enacted by PL 1977, c. 360, §6 and amended by PL 1995, c. 502, Pt. E, §32, is repealed.

Sec. 12. 12 MRSA §541-A is enacted to read:

§541-A.__Bureau of Geology and Natural Areas

The Bureau of Geology and Natural Areas is established within the Department of Conservation and is administered by the commissioner.__The bureau consists of the Maine Geological Survey, referred to in this chapter as the "survey," and the Natural Areas Program.__The executive director of the bureau is the director of the survey.

Sec. 13. 12 MRSA §§544, 544-A, 544-B and 544-C are enacted to read:

§544.__Natural Areas Program

1.__Establishment.__The Natural Areas Program is established within the Department of Conservation and is administered by the commissioner.

2.__Definitions.__As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.

A.__"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Conservation.

B.__"Critical area" means any natural area documented by the Natural Areas Program that is conserved or protected in its natural condition through voluntary action.

C.__"Endangered plant" means any native plant species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant