An Act to Move the
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0402
Committee Amendment CA_B_H381 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT «/E" to H.P. 256, L.D. 402: "An Act to Move the 
Natural Areas Program from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to 
the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and to Amend the Law Governing 
Administration of the Bureau of Resource Management Within the Department of Inland 
Fisheries and Wildlife" 
• 
Amend the bill in section 16 in subsection 1 in the 3rd line (page 4, line to itl.' L.D :):.by 
striking out the following: 
11the Department or' 
.,.,;'·•:1 
• 
·.:!\ .• ·,;: 
Amend the bill in section 17 in paragraph D in the last line (page 4; lin:ijf}~ (u;) 'py 
striking out the following: 
11Department of Inland Fisheries and'Wildllfe
and 'iris'ertilig· 'tfie 
following: 'department' 
Amend the bill in section 28 in sub-c. 4 by inserting after §12824 the following': •• 
... ' 
'§12825. Rulemaking 
The commissioner may not adopt rules to protect plants under this subchapter except 
when required for the conservation of rare, threatened or endangered fish or wildlife.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 36. 
Amend the bill by inserting after section 38 the following: 
'Sec. 39. Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife report. No later than 
January 15, 2027, the Department oflnland Fisheries and Wildlife shall provide a rep01t, 
including any findings and recommendations, to the joint standing committees of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over inland fisheries and wildlife matters and agriculture, 
conservation and forestry matters on the transfer of the Natural Areas Program from the 
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Department of Inland 
Fisheries and Wildlife. Each c01mnittee may submit legislation related to the subject matter 
of the report to the 133rd Legislature in 2027. 
Sec. 40. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~os 
COMMITTEE AMENDJvIENT "g,, to H.P. 256, L.D. 402 
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT OF 
Natural Areas Program Z821 
Initiative: Transfers one Public Service Manager II position, one Resource Management 
Coordinator position and 5 Biologist II positions from the Natural Areas Program within 
the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Resource Management 
Services - Inland Fisheries and Wildlife program within the Department oflnland Fisheries 
and Wildlife. This initiative also transfers All Other funds from the Natural Areas Program 
within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Resource 
Management Services - Inland Fisheries and Wildlife program within the Department of 
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. 
GENERAL FUND 
2025-26 
2026-27 
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
(3.000) 
(3.000) 
Personal Services 
($411,728) 
($434,598) 
All Other 
($66,242) 
($66,242) 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
($477,970) 
($500,840) 
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND 
2025-26 
2026-27 
Personal Services 
($166,136) 
($179,238) 
All Other 
($133,082) 
($133,082) 
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND TOTAL 
($299,218) 
($312,320) 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
2025-26 
2026-27 
POSITIONS -LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
(4,000) 
(4,000) 
Personal Services 
($280,134) 
($302,202) 
All Other 
($605,699) 
($605,699) 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
($885,833) 
($907,901) 
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND 
FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT OF 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
2025-26 
2026-27 
GENERAL FUND 
($477,970) 
($500,840) 
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND 
($299,218) 
($312,320) 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
($885,833) 
($907,901) 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL-ALL FUNDS 
($1,663,021) 
($1,721,061) 
INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE, DEPARTMENT OF 
Natural Areas Conservation Fund N548 
Initiative: Provides baseline allocation to establish the account. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~os 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT '~i' lo H.P. 256, L.D. 402 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
2025-26 
2026-27 
All Other 
$500 
$500 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
$500 
$500 
Resource Management Services - Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 0534 
Initiative: Transfers one Public Service Manager II position, one Resource Management 
Coordinator position and 5 Biologist II positions from the Natural Areas Program within 
the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Resource Management 
Services - Inland Fisheries and Wildlife program within the Department of Inland Fisheries 
and Wildlife. This initiative also transfers All Other funds from the Natural Areas Program 
within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Resource 
Management Services - Inland Fisheries and Wildlife program within the Department of 
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. 
GENERAL FUND 
2025-26 
2026-27 
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
3.000 
3.000 
Personal Services 
$411,325 
$433,940 
All Other 
$66,242 
$66,242 
GENERAL FUND TOT AL 
$477,567 
$500,182 
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND 
2025-26 
2026-27 
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
2.000 
2.000 
Personal Services 
$165,940 
$178,911 
All Other 
$110,609 
$110,919 
-------
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND TOTAL 
$276,549 
$289,830 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
2025-26 
2026-27 
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
2.000 
2,000 
Personal Services 
$279,806 
$301,652 
All Other 
$395,612 
$396,135 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOT AL 
$675,418 
$697,787 
INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE, 
DEPARTMENT OF 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
2025-26 
2026-27 
GENERAL FUND 
$477,567 
$500,182 
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND 
$276,549 
$289,830 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
$675,918 
$698,287 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL-ALL FUNDS 
$1,430,034 
$1,488,299 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
ROS 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" B" to H.P. 256, L.D. 402 
SECTION TOTALS 
GENERAL FUND 
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
SECTION TOTAL -ALL FUNDS 
2025-26 
($403) 
($22,669) 
($209,915) 
($232,987) 
2026-27 
($658) 
($22,490) 
($209,614) 
($232,762) 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the minority report of the committee, makes technical 
corrections to the bill. 
The amendment provides that the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife may 
not adopt rules to protect plants imder the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, chapter 925, 
subchapter 4, which is enacted in the bill and relates to natural areas, research and 
management, except when required for the conservation of rare, threatened or endangered 
fish or wildlife. 
The amendment strikes from the bill a provision relating to consistency review of 
comprehensive plans under the municipal growth management program laws; the proposed 
provision creates a duplicative process for the Department oflnland Fisheries and Wildlife. 
The amendment also requires the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to 
provide a report, including any findings and recommendations, no later than Janua1y 15, 
2027, to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over inland 
fisheries and wildlife matters and agriculture, conservation and forestry matters on the 
transfer of the Natural Areas Program from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation 
and Forestry to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Each committee may 
submit legislation related to the subject matter of the report to the 133rd Legislature in 
2027, 
The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/27/25 1-RL 
LD 402 
LR247(03) 
An Act to Move the Natural Areas Program from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and 
Forestry to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and to Amend the Law Governing 
Administration of the Bureau of Resource Management Within the Department of Inland Fisheries 
and Wildlife 
. 
). 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended ·by Committee Amendment 'j§ { HJ g I 
· 
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry • • 
· 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
General Fund 
Federal Expenditures Fund 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Re_quired: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2025-26 
($403) 
($403) 
($22,669) 
($209,915) 
FY 2026-27 
($658) 
($658) 
($22,490) 
($209,614) 
Projections 
FY2027-28 
($683) 
($683) 
($22,502) 
($209,636) 
Projections 
FY 2028-29 
($711) 
($711) 
($22,516) 
($209,657) 
This bill transfers statutory references and administrative oversight of the Natural Area~ Program from the Department 
of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (ACF) to the Department of Inland Fisheries and· Wildlife (IFW). As a 
result, one Public Service Manager II position, one Resource Management Coordinator position, five Biologist II 
positions, and associated All Other costs will be transfe1Ted. 
This change will result in the following adjustments to ACF's budget beginning in fiscal year 2025-26: 
General Fund deappropriations of $477,970 • 
Federal Expenditures Fund deallocations of $299,218 
Other Special Revenue Funds deallocations of $885,833 
Corresponding allocations to IFW in fiscal yea~. 2025-26 will include: 
General Fund appropriations of $477,567 
Federal Expenditures Fund allocations of $276,549 
Other Special Revenue Funds allocations of$675,418 
The appropriations and allocations in this bill are also included in Part A of the proposed biennial budget. If they are 
enacted through the budget; the approp~ations and allocations in this bill ~ill no longer be necessary. 
LR0247(03) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1