An Act To Prevent the Spread ofInvasive Plants and Protect Maine's Lakes
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1548
Committee Amendment CA_A_H724 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 1090, L.D. 1548, Bill, "An Act To 
Prevent the Spread ofInvasive Plants and Protect Maine's Lakes" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Prevent the Spread of Invasive Plants and Protect Maine's Lakes' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, it is essential that the efforts to prevent the spread of invasive plants in 
Maine's lakes proposed in this resolve be initiated before the stmi of the spring boating 
season; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, be it 
Sec. 1. Review of lakes within the State infested with aquatic invasive 
plant species. Resolved: That the Department of Environmental Protection and the 
Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shall collaborate to review all lakes 
individually in the State with known infestations of aquatic invasive plant species to 
determine: 
1. The type, extent and location of each infestation and its proximity to boat access 
points; 
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2. The general uses of the body of water; 
3. The extent of involvement by local courtesy boat inspectors and lake associations 
regarding the prevention and control of aquatic invasive plant species; and 
4. The use of existing surface water management strategies. 
Page I - 124LR2111(02)-1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"({,' to H.P. 1090, L.D. 1548 
The departments shall collaborate with lake associations and user groups to identify 
private boat ramps on lakes infested with aquatic invasive plant species. For purposes of 
this section, "boat access point" includes but is not limited to public boat ramps, carry-in 
sites, lake access provided by sporting camps and private boat ramps and access areas; 
and be it further 
Sec. 2. Surface water extraction information and review. Resolved: That 
the Department of Environmental Protection shall collect data on the types and extent of 
surface water extraction and review surface water extraction activities to determine in 
each case if an informational letter to the extractor regarding the spread of aquatic 
invasive plant species is necessary to prevent the introduction or spread of an aquatic 
invasive plant species through the surface water extraction process; and be it further 
Sec. 3. Educational and outreach efforts. Resolved: That the Department of 
Environmental Protection and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shall work 
cooperatively to increase the effectiveness of educational and outreach efforts regarding 
aquatic invasive plant species through methods that may include but are not limited to: 
1. Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife radio broadcasts; 
2. Placing signs about aquatic invasive plant species on Interstate 95; 
3. Prominently publishing information about aquatic invasive plant species on the 
departments' publicly accessible websites; 
4. E-mailing aquatic invasive plant species alerts to e-mail addresses contained in 
databases of the Department ofInland Fisheries and Wildlife; and 
5. 
Improving communication with sporting and tourist camps and professional 
guides; and be it further 
Sec. 4. Working group. Resolved: 
That the Department of Environmental 
Protection and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shall facilitate the 
continued work of an aquatic invasive plant species working group that includes the 
Maine Congress of Lake Associations, a statewide sporting group, bass fishing clubs and 
any other person or entity that the working group determines is necessary to conduct its 
work. The working group shall continue its work exploring initiatives related to aquatic 
invasive plant species and collaborate with the Interagency Task Force on Invasive 
Aquatic Plants and Nuisance Species established pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, 
Title 5, section 12004-D. The working group shall assign a chair, who is in charge of 
convening the meetings and keeping notes of discussions. The working group shall hold 
meetings before January 1,2011 and may continue its work after that date as needed; and 
be it further 
Sec. 5. Report. Resolved: That the DepaJ1ment of Environmental Protection and 
the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shall rep0l1 to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over inland fisheries and wildlife 
matters, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural 
resources matters and the Interagency Task Force on Invasive Aquatic Plants and 
Nuisance Species, established pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 
12004-D, by January 2, 2011 regarding matters contained in this resolve and on any new 
aquatic invasive plant species infestations identified. The joint standing committees may 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"~" to H.P. 1090, L.D. 1548 
each submit a bill to the First Regular Session of the I25th Legislature pertaining to 
matters contained in the report; and be it further 
Sec. 6. Funding. Resolved: That the Department of Environmental Protection 
and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shall meet the requirements of this 
resolve within existing resources but may accept outside funding to supplement those 
resources. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill with a resolve that: 
1. Directs the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Inland 
Fisheries and Wildlife to review all lakes in the State with known infestations of aquatic 
invasive plant species to determine the type, extent and location of each infestation and 
its proximity to boat access points and to gather other data about general use of those 
access points and the extent of local involvement. It also directs the departments to 
collaborate with lake associations and user groups to identifY private boat ramps on lakes 
infested with aquatic invasive plant species; 
2. Directs the Department of Environmental Protection to collect information on the 
types and extent of surface water extraction and review surface water extraction activities 
to determine in each case if an informational letter to the extractor regarding the spread of 
aquatic invasive plant species is necessary to prevent the introduction or spread of an 
aquatic invasive plant species through the surface water extraction process; 
3. Directs the Depaliment of Environmental Protection and the Depaliment ofInland 
Fisheries and Wildlife to work cooperatively to increase the effectiveness of educational 
and outreach efforts; 
4. Directs the Depaliment of Environmental Protection and the Department of Inland 
Fisheries and Wildlife to report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over natural resources matters and the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over inland fisheries and wildlife matters and the 
Interagency Task Force on Invasive Aquatic Plants and Nuisance Species by January 2, 
2011 on matters contained in this resolve and to report on any new aquatic invasive plant 
species infestations identified; 
5. Directs the Depaliment of Environmental Protection and the Department ofInland 
Fisheries and Wildlife to facilitate the continued work of an aquatic invasive plant species 
working group. The working group shall continue its work exploring initiatives related to 
aquatic invasive plant species and collaborate with the Interagency Task Force on 
Invasive Aquatic Plants and Nuisance Species; 
6. Gives the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
natural resources matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over inland fisheries and wildlife matters authority to each submit a bill to the 
report; and 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITIEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1090, L.D. 1548 
7. Provides that the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of 
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife must meet the requirements in the resolve within existing 
resources but authorizes those departments to accept outside funding for purposes of the 
resolve. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Approved: 03/09/10 frac 
LD 1548 
LR 2111(02) 
An Act To Prevent the Spread of Invasive Plants and Protect Maine's Lakes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'A' 
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
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Any additional costs to the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department ofInland Fisheries and 
Wildlife associated with problem study, data collection and analysis, public outreach, working group participation, 
and reporting back to the Joint Standing Committee on known infestations of aquatic plant species in Maine lakes can 
be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
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LR2111 (02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1