An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Wind Energy Development Permitting
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0791
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: GIDEON, HILL, KRUGER, MARTIN, POULIOT, RYKERSON, SAUCIER, TIPPING-SPITZ, CUSHING
Amends: 12 MRSA §685-A, 35-A MRSA §3453

Legislative Document 
No. 791 
H.P. 540 
House of Representatives, March 10, 2015 
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Wind Energy Development 
Permitting 
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered 
printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative GIDEON of Freeport. 
Cosponsored by Senator HILL of York and 
Representatives: KRUGER of Thomaston, MARTIN of Sinclair, McCABE of Skowhegan, 
POULIOT of Augusta, RYKERSON of Kittery, SAUCIER of Presque Isle, TIPPING-SPITZ 
of Orono, Senator: CUSHING of Penobscot. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §685-A, sub-§13, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 661, Pt. C, §1, is 
amended to read: 
13.  Additions to designated wind energy permitting area for wind energy 
development.  The commission may add areas in the State's unorganized and 
deorganized areas to the expedited designated wind energy permitting area for wind 
energy development in accordance with Title 35-A, section 3453 3453-A.  
Sec. 2.  35-A MRSA §3453, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 661, Pt. A, §7 and amended 
by PL 2011, c. 682, §38, is repealed. 
Sec. 3.  35-A MRSA §§3453-A and 3453-B are enacted to read: 
§3453-A.  Addition of specific locations to the designated wind energy permitting 
area 
The Maine Land Use Planning Commission may, by rule, add a specified place to the 
designated wind energy permitting area in accordance with this section and rules adopted 
by the Maine Land Use Planning Commission pursuant to this section.  In order to add a 
specified place to the designated wind energy permitting area, the Maine Land Use 
Planning Commission must receive a petition that contains the written consent of the 
owner or owners of the land proposed for addition. 
Rules adopted under this section are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
§3453-B.  Removal of specific locations from the designated wind energy permitting 
area 
The Maine Land Use Planning Commission may, by rule, remove a specified place 
from the designated wind energy permitting area in accordance with this section and rules 
adopted by the Maine Land Use Planning Commission pursuant to this section.  In order 
to remove a specified place from the designated wind energy permitting area, the Maine 
Land Use Planning Commission must receive a petition that contains the written consent 
of the owner or owners of the land proposed for removal. 
Rules adopted under this section are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 4.  Maine Revised Statutes headnote amended; revision clause.  In the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, chapter 34-A, in the chapter headnote, the words 
"expedited permitting of grid-scale wind energy development" are amended to read 
"permitting of grid-scale wind energy development," and the Revisor of Statutes shall 
implement this revision when updating, publishing or republishing the statutes. 
Sec. 5.  Maine Revised Statutes amended; revision clause.  Wherever in the 
Maine Revised Statutes the words "expedited permitting area" appear, they are amended 
to read "designated wind energy permitting area," and the Revisor of Statutes shall 
implement this revision when updating, publishing or republishing the statutes. 
Sec. 6.  Maine Revised Statutes amended; revision clause.  Wherever in the 
Maine Revised Statutes the words "expedited wind energy development" appear, they are 
amended to read "designated wind energy development," and the Revisor of Statutes shall 
implement this revision when updating, publishing or republishing the statutes. 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends the laws governing the expedited permitting of grid-scale wind 
energy development by changing the terms "expedited permitting area" and "expedited 
wind energy development" to "designated wind energy permitting area" and "designated 
wind energy development," respectively.  The bill authorizes the Department of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Maine Land Use Planning Commission to add 
specified places to or remove specified places from the designated wind energy 
permitting area only if the commission receives the written consent of the owner or 
owners of the land proposed for addition or removal.  It also repeals the current provision 
of law governing additions to the area.