Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §7751, as enacted by PL 1979, c. 420, §1, is amended to read:

§7751. Declaration of purpose

The Legislature finds that various species of fish or wildlife have been and are in danger of being rendered extinct within the State of Maine, and that these species are of

esthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational and scientific value to the people of the State. The Legislature, therefore, declares that it is the policy of the State to conserve, by according such protection as is necessary to maintain and enhance their numbers, all species of fish or wildlife found in the State, as well as the ecosystems upon which they depend.

This subchapter and chapter 631 are established to carry out the purposes of this section.

Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §7753, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1997, c. 290, §1, is further amended to read:

3. Legislative authority. The Legislature, as sole authority, shall designate a species as state endangered or state threatened species. The list of state endangered or state threatened species is as follows:

Common Name Scientific Name Status

Least Tern Sterna albifrons Endangered

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Endangered

Piping Plover Charadrius melodus Endangered

Sedge Wren Cistothorus platenis Endangered

Grasshopper

Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum Endangered

Box Turtle Terrapene carolina Endangered

Black Racer Coluber constrictor Endangered

Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii Endangered

Northern Bog

Lemming Synaptomys borealis Threatened

Loggerhead

Turtle Caretta caretta Threatened

Blanding's

Turtle Emydoidea blandingii Endangered

Black Tern Chlidonias niger Endangered

American Pipit Anthus rubescens Endangered