| | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | | Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §341-A, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 890, Pt. A, | | §13 and affected by §40, is amended to read: |
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| | | 1. Purpose. The department shall prevent, abate and control | | the pollution of the air, water and land and preserve, improve | | and prevent diminution of the natural environment of the State | | while maintaining the State's economic viability. The department | | shall protect and enhance the public's right to use and enjoy the | | State's natural resources and may educate the public on natural | | resource use, requirements and issues. |
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| | | Sec. 2. Department of Environmental Protection; economist. The Department of | | Environmental Protection is authorized to employ, within its | | existing budgeted resources, an economist. The hiring of the | | economist is contingent upon a position within the department | | becoming vacant through attrition. The department is authorized | | to submit any legislation necessary to implement this section. |
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| | | This bill amends the mission of the Department of | | Environmental Protection to include consideration of maintenance | | of the State's economic viability. The bill also authorizes the | | department, when a position becomes vacant through attrition, to | | hire an economist within its existing resources. |
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