An Act To Sustain Good-paying Jobs in the Forest Products Industry by Ensuring Consistency between Comprehensive River Resource Management Plans and State Water Quality Standards
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1979
Committee Amendment CA_A_SA_A_S563 (Senate)
Amends: 12 MRSA §407

SENATE AMENDMENT "f\- "to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 710, 
L.D. 1979, "An Act To Sustain Good-paying Jobs in the Forest Products Industry by 
Ensuring Consistency between Comprehensive River Resource Management Plans and 
State Water Quality Standards" 
Amend the amendment by striking out the substitute title and replacing it with the 
following: 
'An Act Regarding the Development of Comprehensive River Resource Management 
Plans' 
Amend the amendment in the 2nd paragraph after the title in the first line (page 1, line 
in amendment) by striking out the following: "title" and inserting the following: 
'enacting clause' 
Amend the amendment by inserting before section 1 the following: 
'Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §407, as amended by PL 2011, c. 65 5, Pt. EE, § 17 and affected 
by §30 and amended by c. 657, Pt. W, §5, is further amended to read: 
§407. Comprehensive river resource management plans 
The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, with assistance from the 
Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Department of Marine Resources, the 
Department of Environmental Protection, the Governor's Energy Office and other state 
agencies as needed, shall develop, subject to the Maine Administrative Procedure Act, Title 
5, chapter 375, a comprehensive river resource management plan for each watershed with 
a hydropower project licensed under the Federal Power Act or to be licensed under the 
Federal Power Act. 
These plans must provide a basis for state agency comments, 
recommendations and permitting decisions and at a minimum include, as applicable, 
minimum flows, impoundment level regimes, upstream and downstream fish passage, 
maintenance of aquatic habitat and habitat productivity, public access and recreational 
opportunities. These plans must update, complement and, after public notice, comment 
and hearings in the watershed, be adopted as components of the State's comprehensive 
rivers management plan. A comprehensive river resource management plan adopted under 
this section is a major substantive rule as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.' 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
~os 
SENATE AMENDMENT" A "to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 710, L.D. 1979 ($- Slt,"3) 
Amend the amendment in section 1 in the first paragraph in the 3rd line (page 1, line 
in amendment) by striking out the following: "Resolved: That the" and inserting the 
following: 'The' 
Amend the amendment in section 1 in the first paragraph in the 5th line (page 1, line 
in amendment) by inserting after the following: "Wildlife," the following: 'the 
Department of Economic and Community Development,' 
Amend the amendment in section 1 by inserting after subsection 4 the following: 
'On or before Janua1y 15, 2023, the Department of Environmental Protection shall 
submit to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
environment and natural resources matters a report outlining its findings and 
recommendations developed pursuant to this section, including any proposed legislation. 
After reviewing the report, the joint standing committee may report out legislation relating 
to the report to the 131st Legislature in 2023.' 
Amend the amendment by striking out all of section 2. 
Amend the amendment by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment amends Committee Amendment "A" to classify a comprehensive 
river resource management plan as a major substantive rule. It also adds the Department 
of Economic and Community Development as an agency with which the Department of 
Environmental Protection must consult on the evaluation of the current process for the 
development of comprehensive river resource management plans. 
~ 
SPONSORED BY: 7 ~ 
(President JACKSON, T.) 
COUNTY: Aroostook 
----..._ 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
( 
Approved: 04/14/22 feae 
LD 1979 
LR 2167(07) 
An Act To Sustain Good-paying Jobs in the Forest Products Industry by Ensuring Consistency 
between Comprehensive River Resource Management Plans and State Water Quality Standards 
Fiscal Note for Senate Amendment 'W' to Committee Amendment "A" ( S--'.:)lo~ 
Sponsor: Pres. Jackson of Aroostook 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Any additional costs to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry as a result of the major substantive 
rulemaking requirements in this amendment are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted 
resources. Additional costs to the Department of Economic and Community Development to consult, as needed, with 
the Department of Environmental Protection on the evaluation of the current process for the development of 
comprehensive river resource management plans can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2167(07) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1