An Act To Regulate the Transportation of Firewood
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1607
Committee Amendment CA_A_H667 (House)
Amends: 12 MRSA §830

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/1,, to H.P. 1135, L.D. 1607, Bill, "An Act To 
Regulate the Transportation of Firewood" 
Amend the bill in the emergency preamble by inseliing after the 4th indented 
paragraph the following: 
'Whereas, the transpOliation of firewood has been demonstrated to hasten the spread 
of these pests beyond the normal biological dispersal rate; and' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 1 and 2 and inseliing the following: 
'Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §830S, as enacted by PL 1979, c. 545, §3, is amended to read: 
§830S. Shipment pl'Ohihited 
The director may prohibit, prevent or regulate the entry into or movement within the 
State, from any part thereof to any other part, of any plants of the genus Ribes or other 
nursery or wilding plants, stock or pmis of plants wfl.i.clt or wood or wood products that 
may cause the introduction or spread of a dangerous forest insect or disease. The director 
may issue the necessary orders, permits and notices necessary to carry out this section 
whioh shal+-nBt-be-ee-ns-l-EiereEl-to. Orders, permits and notices issued under this section do 
not require or constitute an adjudicatory proceeding under the Maine Administrative 
Procedure Act, Title 5, ohapter 375. 
Sec. 2. Transportation of firewood; rules. The Director of the Bureau of 
Forestry within the Depmiment of Conservation shall seek funding from private and 
public sources to supplement and secure federal funding sufficient to implement 
restrictions on the transpOliation of firewood into the State. Upon securing adequate 
funding, the director shall adopt rules under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 
8306 to restrict the importation of firewood into the State to protect the State's forests 
from introduction of the emerald ash borer and the Asian longhorned beetle. The niles 
may allow the transpOliation of kiln-dried wood and include other exceptions the director 
determines do not threaten the State's forests. 
Page I - 124LR2099(02)-1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A "to I-J.P. 1135, L.D. 1607 
Sec. 3. 
Directives to the Department of Conservation. 
Within the 
Department of Conservation, the Director of the Bureau of Forestry shall work closely 
with the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands to ensure that the transportation of 
firewood into state parks and onto other lands managed by the Bureau of Parks and Lands 
is restricted to protect the State's forests from introduction of the emerald ash borer and 
the Asian longhorned beetle. Within existing resources, the Director of the Bureau of 
Forestry shall conduct surveillance to detect the presence of the emerald ash borer and the 
Asian longhorned beetle,' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment directs the Director of the Bureau of Forestry within the Department 
of Conservation to seek funding sufficient to implement restrictions on the transportation 
of firewood into the State. It requires the director to use existing rule-making authority to 
establish restrictions on the transportation of firewood into the State as soon as adequate 
funding to implement the rule is secured. It removes the definition of "firewood" in the 
bill, allowing a definition to be established by rule. 
This amendment revises the directive to the Bureau of Forestry and the Bureau of 
Parks and Lands within the Depmtment of Conservation to work closely on restricting 
firewood transported into state parks and other lands managed by the Bureau of Parks and 
Lands to clarify that this directive is not dependent on rules being adopted under the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 8306. 
It also directs the Director of the Bureau of Forestry to prohibit, prevent or regulate 
the introduction of wood and wood products into or within the State. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Approved: 02/22/10 Mac:.. 
LD 1607 
LR 2099(02) 
An Act To Regulate the Transportation of Firewood 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "If' 
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Additional costs to the DepaJiment of Conservation associated with seeking funding to implement restrictions on the 
transpOliation of firewood into the State can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources~ This legislation also 
requires the depaJiment to conduct surveillance on state parks and other state-managed lands to detect the presence of 
the emerald ash borer and the Asian longhorned beetle, which can also be accomplished within existing budgeted 
resources. 
LR2099(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of I