| Sec. 2. Development of strategic plan. The Department of Economic and |
| Community Development shall convene at least 4 meetings with |
| representatives of departments and stakeholder associations to |
| gather information on the most effective methods for attracting, |
| retaining and developing natural resource-based industries and |
| nature-based tourism in central and northern Maine, as well as to |
| structure the eligibility criteria and benefit structure for Pine |
| Tree Recreation Zone program participants and qualified projects. |
| The Department of Economic and Community Development shall |
| include in these meetings the Department of Agriculture, Food and |
| Rural Resources, the Department of Conservation, the Department |
| of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Department of Environmental |
| Protection, the Department of Marine Resources and statewide |
| associations that have an interest in nature-based tourism in |
| central and northern Maine and in farming and agricultural |
| tourism. The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development |
| shall use this information to develop a strategic plan for |
| attracting, retaining and expanding new and existing natural |
| resource-based industries and nature-based tourism in central and |
| northern Maine that must include a proposal for program benefits |
| using loans and state grant programs. The commissioner shall |
| report by February 15, 2007 to the joint standing committee of |
| the Legislature having jurisdiction over business, research and |
| economic development matters on the details of this strategic |
| plan for the Pine Tree Recreation Zone. The joint standing |
| committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over business, |
| research and economic development matters is authorized to report |
| out legislation on the strategic plan to the First Regular |
| Session of the 123rd Legislature. |
