Resolve, To Preserve the Saco River
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1034
Committee Amendment CA_A_H357 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 752, L.D. 1034, "Resolve, To Preserve 
the Saco River" 
Amend the resolve by striking out everything after the title and before the summary 
and inserting the following: 
'Preamble. Whereas, the Saco River flows through several municipalities and 
recreational use of the river has increased dramatically in the past decade; and 
Whereas, developing a plan for appropriately managing recreational use of the river 
and providing law enforcement, sanitation and emergency services is essential; and 
Whereas, a consistent approach to managing recreational use of the river is essential 
to maintaining the quality of the experience for users, as well as resolving conflicts 
between recreational users and owners of property adjacent to the river; now, therefore, 
be it 
Sec. 1. Development of recreation management plan for Saco River. 
Resolved: That the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands within the Department of 
Conservation, referred to in this resolve as "the director," shall gather information to 
facilitate the management of that portion of the Saco River between the New Hampshire 
border at Balch Pond and the Hiram Dam in the Town of Hiram. For the purposes of this 
resolve, this portion of the river is referred to as "the Upper Saco River Recreation 
Corridor." 
Specifically to be reviewed are various approaches to address issues including, but 
not limited to, boating safety, law enforcement, environmental impact of recreational 
uses, conflicts among recreational users and the degradation of public and private 
property within the corridor. 
The director shall seek an approach that provides for 
consistent management throughout the Upper Saco River Recreation Corridor. 
The 
director shall work with stakeholders to consider potential effects of various management 
approaches on local and regional economies. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 752, L.D. 1034 
The director shall contact the New Hampshire Department of Environmental 
Services, Watershed Management Bureau, Rivers Management and Protection Program. 
The director shall invite one or more representatives from New Hampshire to join in 
examining the management of the Upper Delaware River as a federally designated 
Partnership Scenic and Recreational River and assess the benefits and drawbacks to such 
a designation; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Working group. Resolved: That the director shall convene a working 
group, including, but not limited to, one representative of: 
1. The Saco River Corridor Commission; 
2. The Saco River Recreational Council; 
3. The Nature Conservancy; 
4. Municipal officials or citizens designated by municipal officials from the towns of 
Hiram, Brownfield, Denmark and Fryeburg; 
5. Law enforcement; 
6. Owners of campgrounds within the Upper Saco River Recreation Corridor; 
7. 
Citizens who own land and reside within the Upper Saco River Recreation 
Corridor; 
8. Owners of working woodlots within the Upper Saco River Recreation Corridor; 
and 
9. Owners offarms within the Upper Saco River Recreation Corridor. 
The director shall seek the advice of the working group and develop options for 
managing the Upper Saco River Recreation Corridor in consultation with the working 
group; and be it further 
Sec. 3. Recommendations and report; funding. Resolved: That the director 
shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over public lands no later than December 15, 2007. The report must include various 
options for managing the Upper Saco River Recreation Corridor as a recreational 
waterway of statewide significance. The report must also include a recommendation for 
the creation of a Saco River preservation fund to fund future management of the river.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment removes the emergency preamble and emergency clause. It requires 
the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands within the Department of Conservation to 
develop options for consistent management of recreation on the Saco River from the New 
Hampshire border at Balch Pond to the Hiram Dam in the Town of Hiram. It adds 
woodlot owners and farmers to the list of interests represented on the working group 
convened by the director. 
The resolve required the director to finalize a recreation 
management plan and the Commission of Conservation to submit legislation to 
implement the plan within the same time frame. This amendment removes the latter 
requirement. 
FISCAL :\"OTE REQLlRED 
.~Se~ att~c~~~t 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/24/07 ;t!;Pac:.. 
LD 1034 
LR 349(02) 
Resolve, To Preserve the Saco River 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment II~ II 
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
LR0349(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1