An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Reports Related to Natural Resources (AFTER DEADLINE)
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 2230
Committee: Natural Resources
Sponsors: MARTIN, KOFFMAN
Amends: 5 MRSA §3331, 22 MRSA §679-B, 38 MRSA §344-B, 38 MRSA §470-G, 38 MRSA §1316-G

Legislative Document 
No. 2230 
S.P.862 
February 26,2008 
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Reports Related to Natural 
Resources 
(AFTER DEADLINE) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
205. 
Reference to the Committee on Natural Resources suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator MARTIN of Aroostook. 
Cosponsored by Representative KOFFMAN of Bar Harbor. 
Printed on recycled paper 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §3331, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 721, Pt. C, §1 and 
affected by Pt. H, § 1, is amended to read: 
4. Quarterly meetings; biennial report. The council shall meet at least quarterly. 
In addition, the council shall prepare a work program for each year establishing priorities 
among its efforts. By January 15th of each year Every 2 years beginning in 2009 and no 
later than January 15th, the council shall prepare and submit to the Governor and to the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resource 
matters an annual ~ report describing its activities during the previous ~ calendar year 
years and an outline of anticipated activities for the current calendar year. Member 
agencies shall provide staff support. 
Sec. 2. 22 MRS A §679-B, sub-§5, as amended by PL 1995, c. 333, §2, is further 
amended to read: 
5. Allocation from fund. Money in the Radioactive Waste Fund established by this 
section must be allocated from time to time by the Legislature for the following purposes: 
to the Radioactive Waste Adviso!)' Commission Fund as establ ished in Title 38, section 
1454 A to fund the activities of the Advisory Commission on Radioactive 'Haste as 
described in Title 38, section 1453 A for adviso!)' and public information activities; and 
to the department for administrative and regulatory activities as described in this section. 
These amounts become available in accordance with Title 5, chapters 141 to 155. 
The department may receive and expend federal grants and payments for the purpose of 
carrying out its duties set out in section 679-A, subsection 2. 
Sec. 3. 22 MRSA §679-B, sub-§7, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 664, § 10, IS 
repealed. 
Sec. 4. 22 MRS A §680, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1983, c. 345, §§13 and 14, is 
repealed. 
Sec. 5. 38 MRSA §344-B, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 804, Pt. B, §4 and 
affected by §7, is repealed. 
Sec. 6. 38 MRSA §470-G, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 619, § 1 and amended by PL 
2003, c. 689, Pt. B, §7, is repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
§470-G. Reporting and use of collected data 
The department shall report data collected pursuant to this article to the Water 
Resources Planning Committee established under Title 5, section 3331, subsection 8. 
The Water Resources Planning Committee shall use this data in the fulfillment of its 
duties under Title 5, section 3331, subsection 8. 
Reporting of the data must be 
summarized in a manner that does not allow for the identification of any individual user. 
Page I - 123LR3420(Ol)-1 
Sec. 7. 38 MRS A §585-D, 3rd ~, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 245, § 1, is amended 
to read: 
The department shall annually evaluate whether the State should continue to 
implement and enforce California low-emission vehicle standards relating to the control 
of emissions from new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines. The evaluation 
must include a review of the benefits and costs of enforcing the California standards and 
the benefits and costs of adopting the federal standards. The department shall report on 
its evaluation to the joint standing eommittee of the Legislature having jurisdietion over 
natural resourees matters by January IS, 2007 and by January 15th every year thereafter. 
The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resourees 
matters may report out legislation related to the department's evaluation to the 
Legislature. 
Sec. 8. 38 MRSA §1316-G, sub-§I, ~, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 578, §1, is 
amended to read: 
H. 
Educate the public and encourage use of tires based on consideration of 
environmental and public health impacts as well as market conditions; and 
Sec. 9. 38 MRS A §1316-G, sub-§I, ~, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 578, § 1, is 
amended to read: 
I. 
Contract for services to reduce tire stockpiles and abate significant risk to the 
environment and public health at tire stockpile sites~-a*t 
Sec. 10. 38 MRSA §1316-G, sub-§I, ~J, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 578, §1, is 
repealed. 
Sec. 11. 38 MRS A §1454-A, as amended by PL 1999, c. 556, §39 and PL 2003, c. 
689, Pt. B, §§6 and 7, is repealed. 
SUMMARY 
This biB makes the following changes to the laws governing reports related to natural 
resources. 
l. It provides for biennial reporting by the Land and Water Resources Council. 
Current law requires an annual report. 
2. It eliminates the requirement that the Department of Health and Human Services 
report annually to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
natural resources matters on the Radioactive Waste Fund. 
3. It eliminates the requirement that the Department of Health and Human Services 
report annually to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
natural resources matters on fees for radiation protection services. 
4. It eliminates the requirement that the Commissioner of Environmental Protection 
report annually to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
energy and natural resources matters on certain permitting and licensing activities. 
5. It eliminates the requirement that the Commissioner of Environmental Protection 
report annually to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
natural resources matters on water use reporting. 
It requires the Department of 
Environmental Protection to report water use data to the Water Resources Planning 
Committee. 
6. It eliminates the requirement that the Department of Environmental Protection 
report annually to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
natural resources matters on low-emission vehicle standards. 
7. It eliminates the requirement that the Department of Environmental Protection 
report to the Legislature regarding tire stockpiles. 
8. 
It repeals the laws that establish and govern the Radioactive Waste Advisory 
Commission Fund, including a requirement that the Commissioner of Health and Human 
Services report annually to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over natural resources matters regarding the fund, to reflect the repeal of the 
laws that established and governed the Advisory Commission on Radioactive Waste and 
Decommissioning. 
It also amends a provision that refers to this repealed advisory 
commission.