130th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 34		LR 127(02)
	An Act To Create the Maine Forestry Operations Cleanup and Response Fund
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
			FY 2021-22	FY 2022-23	Projections  FY 2023-24	Projections  FY 2024-25
Appropriations/Allocations
	Other Special Revenue Funds		$20,000	$20,000	$20,000	$20,000
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill creates the Maine Forestry Operations Cleanup and Response Fund (the Fund) within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (ACF). Expenditures from this revolving fund are limited to reimbursement of costs related to physical mitigation and remediation of water quality violations that result from timber harvesting activities. The bill includes ongoing allocations to the ACF of $20,000 starting in fiscal year 2021-22 to allow for expenditures from the Fund.
	The bill allows dedicated revenue in the Bureau of Forestry from permit fees, civil actions and fines related to timber harvesting to be credited to the Fund up to a balance of $20,000. Although the balance is capped at $20,000, once expenditures have been made the Fund can be replenished to bring it back to $20,000. ACF has indicated it plans to divert a portion of the penalties assessed by the Bureau of Forestry to initially provide funding and then use remediation money from responsible parties to fund future expenditures from the Fund. If expenditures from the Fund exceed the amount of remediation revenue received, additional penalty revenue may need to be diverted to replenish the Fund.