Resolve, Authorizing the Bureau of General Services within the Department of Administrative and Financial Services To Assume Ownership of the Forest City Project
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1626
Committee Amendment CA_B_H525 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. B,, to H.P. 1121, L.D. 1626, "Resolve, 
Authorizing the Bureau of General Services within the Department of Administrative and 
Financial Services To Assume Ownership of the Forest City Project" 
Amend the resolve by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, Authorizing the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife To Assume 
Ownership of the Forest City Project' 
Amend the resolve by striking out everything after the title and before the summary 
and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. Forest City Project. Resolved: That, if the provisions of sections 2 and 
are met, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is authorized to assume 
ownership from Woodland Pulp LLC of that portion of a dam and water storage project 
known as the Forest City Project, together with associated flowage rights, easements and 
related facilities, located on the East Branch of the St. Croix River in Washington County 
and Aroostook County and referred to in this resolve as "the facility." The authorization 
under this section is limited to that portion of the Forest City Project that is located within 
the territorial limits of the United States; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission contingency. Resolved: 
That the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife may not assume ownership of the 
facility pursuant to section 1 unless the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issues a 
written determination that no license issued by the. Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission to own or operate the facility will be required if the State owns the facility; 
and be it further 
Sec. 3. Operation and maintenance agreement contingency. Resolved: 
That the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife may not assume ownership of the 
facility pursuant to section 1 unless the State and Woodland Pulp LLC execute an 
agreement that provides that Woodland Pulp LLC and its successors will operate and 
maintain the facility at the direction of the State and in accordance with all applicable 
laws, rules and regulations and prudent industry practice, except to the extent that 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITIEE AMENDMENT :_e,, to H.P. 1121, L.D. 1626 
Woodland Pulp LLC or its successors are prevented from doing so by an unforeseen 
extraordinary event. The agreement must ensure that Woodland Pulp LLC and its 
successors operate and maintain the facility in accordance with the agreement required 
under this section at no cost to the State for a period of 3 0 years from the date the State 
acquires the facility; and be it further 
Sec. 4. 
Project management. 
Resolved: That the Department of Inland 
Fisheries and Wildlife shall oversee the management of the facility if the facility is 
acquired pursuant to this resolve.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment provides that the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 
rather than the Department of Administrative and Financial Services as provided in the 
resolve, may assume ownership of the dam and water storage project known as the Forest 
City Project, together with associated flowage rights, from Woodland Pulp LLC if certain 
contingencies are met. The contingencies that must be satisfied before the department is 
authorized to assume ownership of the Forest City Project are that the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission must determine that, once ownership is transferred, the State will 
not be subject to a licensing requirement by that commission and that the State must enter 
into an agreement with Woodland Pulp LLC that provides that Woodland Pulp LLC and 
its successors will maintain and operate the Forest City Project, at the direction of the 
State and with certain limited exceptions, for a period of 30 years from the date of the 
transfer at no cost to the State. The amendment also removes the emergency preamble 
and emergency clause. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
· · 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Revised: 06/19/17 frac--
LD 1626 
LR 2356(03) 
Resolve, Authorizing the Bureau of General Services within the Department of Administrative and 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Financial Services To Assume Ownership of the Forest City Project 
:::-\ 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment B l fl ... 5 d~ 
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Potential future biennium cost increase - General Fund 
The transfer of ownership of the dam and water storage project known as the Foresty City Project to the Depaiiment 
of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IF & W) is contingent on an agreement with current owner Woodland Pulp LLC to 
maintain and operate the Facility for a period of 30 years at no cost to the State. During that period any costs to IF&W 
are anticipated to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. The bill does not indicate what 
will happen after 30 years and the fiscal note assumes the State's ownership would mean it would assume all costs of 
operation and maintenance, which have been estimated between $55,000 and $80,000 arurnally. 
LR2356(03) - Fiscal Note - Page I of I