Resolve, to Establish the Commission to Examine Programs and Policies Regarding Natural Resources and Environmental Protection
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1393
Committee: Environment and Natural Resources
Sponsors: RENY

Legislative Document
No. 1393
S.P. 560
In Senate, March 28, 2023
Resolve, to Establish the Commission to Examine Programs and 
Policies Regarding Natural Resources and Environmental 
Protection
Reference to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources suggested and ordered 
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator RENY of Lincoln.
Sec. 1.  Commission established.  Resolved:  That the Commission to Examine 
Programs and Policies Regarding Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, 
referred to in this resolve as "the commission," is established to develop updated, united 
and holistic natural resources programs and functions throughout State Government.
Sec. 2.  Commission membership.  Resolved:  That the commission consists of 
the following members:
1.  The Commissioner of Environmental Protection or the commissioner's designee;
2.  The Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry or the commissioner's 
designee;
3.  The Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife or the commissioner's designee; 
4.  The Commissioner of Marine Resources or the commissioner's designee; and
5.  The Director of the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability 
or the director's designee.
Sec. 3.  Chairs.  Resolved:  That the chair of the commission and an assistant chair 
of the commission are appointed by the Governor.
Sec. 4.  Convening of commission.  Resolved:  That the chair shall call and 
convene the first meeting of the commission no later than 30 days following the effective 
date of this resolve.
Sec. 5.  Duties.  Resolved:  That the commission shall  review natural resources 
programs and functions throughout State Government, including the natural resources 
agencies' interactions with federal agencies, municipalities, counties and nongovernmental 
organizations.  For the purposes of this resolve, "the natural resources agencies" includes 
the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation 
and Forestry, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Department of 
Marine Resources.  The commission shall:
1.  Identify redundancies, inefficiencies and lack of potential internal and external 
coordination among the natural resources agencies;
2.  Examine methods and issue recommendations to bring all natural resources and 
environmental protection functions of the natural resources agencies in line with statewide 
priorities, streamline overall operations and identify overlooked, unsupported and 
emerging priorities. Such examinations may include examining the nature of how the 
natural resources agencies evaluate land and water conservation priorities, the methods for 
establishing new state parks, the ways forests are managed and how climate change and 
emerging methods for protecting forest ecosystems are managed; and
3.  Receive and consider public comment related to the commission's duties.
Sec. 6.  Staff assistance.  Resolved:  That the members in section 2 shall provide 
necessary staff services to the commission.  At a minimum, each member identified in 
section 2 shall designate a staff member from that member's agency or office to provide 
staff support to the commission.
Sec. 7.  Report.  Resolved:  That, no later than November 6, 2024, the commission 
shall submit a report that includes its findings and recommendations, including suggested 
legislation, for presentation to the Governor and the First Regular Session of the 132nd 
Legislature in 2025.
SUMMARY
This resolve establishes the Commission to Examine Programs and Policies Regarding 
Natural Resources and Environmental Protection to review natural resources programs and 
functions throughout State Government, including the natural resources agencies' 
interactions with federal agencies, municipalities, counties and nongovernmental 
organizations.  The natural resources agencies include the Department of Environmental 
Protection, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, the Department of 
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Department of Marine Resources.   Members of the 
commission include the commissioners of the natural resources agencies and the Director 
of the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability.