Resolve, To Direct State Agencies To Develop Policies To Guide Employees When Accessing Private Woodland, Farmland or Coastal Lands

Sec. 1. Policies. Resolved: That the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Marine Resources, the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources and the Department of Conservation, referred to in this resolve as "the departments," shall develop written policies regarding entering private woodland, farmland or coastal lands for nonemergency purposes to collect information. The policies must address such items as when prenotification or permission is appropriate; when no notification or permission is needed; what constitutes notification or permission; motorized and nonmotorized access; and when woodland or farmland owners or owners of coastal lands should be informed regarding potential uses of data or information collected. The departments may have different policies for accessing woodland, farmland or coastal lands for different purposes. This resolve does not interfere with the departments' enforcement authority; and be it further

Sec. 2. Feedback from woodland owners. Resolved: That, in developing the policies under section 1, the departments shall solicit feedback from woodland and farmland owners and owners of coastal lands. The departments shall ensure that department employees are aware of and comply with the policies. The departments may alter these policies as necessary; and be it further

Sec. 3. No rulemaking. Resolved: That the policies required under this resolve do not constitute rules and the departments are not required to further undertake rulemaking for purposes of adopting these policies; and be it further

Sec. 4. Report on policies; legislation authorized. Resolved: That the departments shall report to the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry no later than January 15, 2010 on the policies developed under section 1. The report must include a copy of each department’s policies pertaining to accessing private woodlands, farmlands and coastal lands and a summary of input received from farmland and woodland owners and owners of coastal lands during the development of these policies. The report must also include a description of how information collected on private land is used by the departments, the types of information that are available to the public and how that information is provided.

The Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry may submit legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature pertaining to state employees’ access to private lands or the dissemination of information collected on private lands; and be it further

Sec. 5. Adoption. Resolved: That the policies required under this resolve must be adopted by January 1, 2010.