HP0594
LD 863
First Regular Session - 124th Maine Legislature
H "B" to C "A", Filing Number H-563, Sponsored by PIEH
Text: MS-Word, RTF or PDF
LR 588
Item 8
Bill Tracking Chamber Status

Amend the amendment by striking out all of section 2 and inserting the following:

Sec. 2. Working group on the recreational access and landowner relations program. The Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Commissioner of Conservation shall jointly convene a working group on the recreational access and landowner relations program, referred to in this section as "the program." At least one other employee from each department shall serve on the working group and the commissioners shall invite the participation of a least 2 landowners and 2 recreation users in the working group. The working group shall:

1. Create a work plan for the program through June 2011;

2. Review the scope of the duties, structure, funding level and support for the position of the Director of Recreational Access and Landowner Relations, referred to in this section as "the position";

3. Identify sustainable funding sources for the position as a permanent position;

4. Propose grant-funding opportunities to strengthen outreach efforts;

5. Develop recommendations for enhanced volunteer efforts, including building on existing agency volunteer programs;

6. Review distribution of the costs of and support for the program to ensure that it is fairly aligned with those benefited by the program; and

7. Review landowner relations programs in other states.

The working group shall submit a report, including its findings, by December 31, 2009 to the Governor, the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. The working group shall include in its submission recommendations for permanent funding of the position for inclusion in the next biennial budget.’

Amend the amendment by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.

summary

This amendment requires the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Commissioner of Conservation to establish a working group on the recreational access and landowner relations program that will include landowners and recreation users to, among other things, review the position of director of the program, identify funding for the position on a permanent basis and review landowner relations programs in other states. The working group shall submit its findings to the Governor, the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry by December 31, 2009.

The amendment also removes the transfer of funds from the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in fiscal year 2010-11 in anticipation of another funding source to be identified by the working group.

FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)


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