An Act To Provide Funding to Municipalities Severely Infested by Brown-tail Moth Caterpillars
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1181
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: TEPLER, VITELLI, BATTLE, BERRY, DAUGHTRY, DEVIN, PIERCE, DILL

Legislative Document
No. 1181
H.P. 818
House of Representatives, March 28, 2017
An Act To Provide Funding to Municipalities Severely Infested by 
Brown-tail Moth Caterpillars
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative TEPLER of Topsham.
Cosponsored by Senator VITELLI of Sagadahoc and
Representatives: BATTLE of South Portland, BERRY of Bowdoinham, DAUGHTRY of 
Brunswick, DeCHANT of Bath, DEVIN of Newcastle, McCREIGHT of Harpswell, PIERCE 
of Dresden, Senator: DILL of Penobscot.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  7 MRSA c. 6-B is enacted to read: 
CHAPTER 6-B 
MANAGEMENT OF BROWN-TAIL MOTH CATERPILLARS 
§181.   Brown-tail moth caterpillar management 
The commissioner may use appropriate methods for the management of brown-tail 
moth caterpillars and the prevention of their breeding, including but not limited to 
conducting or contracting for brown-tail moth caterpillar management activities.  The 
commissioner in undertaking activities under this section shall use a combination of the 
lowest risk, most effective integrated pest management techniques and science-based 
technology. 
§182.  Maine Brown-tail Moth Caterpillar Management Fund 
1.  Fund established.  The Maine Brown-tail Moth Caterpillar Management Fund, 
referred to in this section as "the fund," is established to carry out the purposes of this 
chapter. The fund consists of any money received as contributions, grants or 
appropriations from private and public sources. 
2.  Purposes.  The department may expend the money available in the fund to 
municipalities designated by the State Entomologist as being severely infested with 
brown-tail moth caterpillars.  A municipality may not receive more than $50,000 from the 
fund.  A municipality provided funds under this subsection shall use: 
A.  Seventy-five percent of the funding to mitigate infestation on residential 
properties in the municipality on which persons with health conditions that can be 
exacerbated by the infestation reside and who are unable to pay for treatment of the 
infestation; and  
B.  Twenty-five percent of the funding to mitigate infestation on publicly owned 
properties in the municipality. 
3.  Administration.  The fund, to be accounted for within the department, must be 
held separate and apart from all other money, funds and accounts.  Any balance 
remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year does not lapse but must be carried 
forward to the next fiscal year.  The State Entomologist shall administer the fund 
allocations. 
§183.  Rules 
The department shall adopt routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A necessary to administer and enforce this chapter. 
Sec. 2.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT OF 
Maine Brown-tail Moth Caterpillar Management Fund N236 
Initiative:  Provides one-time funding to the new Maine Brown-tail Moth Caterpillar 
Management Fund within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to be 
used in mitigating infestation of brown-tail moth caterpillars. 
SUMMARY 
This bill establishes the Maine Brown-tail Moth Caterpillar Management Fund to 
provide municipalities severely infested with brown-tail moth caterpillars funds to be 
used in mitigating the infestation of properties within the municipality.  It also provides 
$500,000 to the fund. 
GENERAL FUND 
2017-18
2018-19
All Other 
$500,000
$0
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
$500,000
$0