An Act to Move the
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0402
Committee Amendment CA_A_H380 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT •A" 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 10 in L.D.) by 
striking out the following: "the Department of' 
Amend the bill in section 17 in paragraph Din the last line (page 4, line 2,0 in L:D.) ~Y 
striking out the following: "Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife" and inserting the 
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 and plant communities under 
this subchapter except when reguired 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 report, 
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 committee 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 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT •A" 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 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 
($411,728) 
($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 
'~~ 
~ O,~ 
,, ~ 
COMMITTEB AMENDMENT 'A "to 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 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 
$411,325 
$433,940 
All Other 
$66,242 
$66,242 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
$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 TOTAL 
$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 
"'"'S 
oi. 
~ 
COM1v.1ITTEE AMENDMENT A 
"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 majority report of the committee, makes technical 
corrections to the bill. 
The amendment provides that the Commissioner oflnland Fisheries and Wildlife may 
not adopt rules to protect plants and plant communities under 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 January 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 LRL 
LD 402 
LR 247(02) 
An Act to Move the Natural Areas Program fr9m 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 Ame~dment '~' {H-38' 6 
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 Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2025-26 
($403) 
($403) 
($22,669) 
($209,915) 
FY 2026-27 
($658) 
($658) 
($22,490) 
($209,614) 
Projections 
FY 2027-28 
($683) 
($683) 
($22,502) 
($209,636) 
Projections 
FY 2028-29 
($711) 
($711) 
($22,516) 
($209,657) 
This bill tran~fers statutory references and administrative oversight of the Natural Areas Program from the Department 
of Agriculture, Conservation. and Forestry (ACF) to the Department oflnland 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 transferred. 
• 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 year 2025-26. will include: 
• 
General Fund appropriations of $477,567 
Federal Expenditures Fund aliocations 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 appropriations and allocations in this bill will no longer be necessary. 
LR0247(02) - Fis.cal Note - Page 1 of 1