Maine legislature - Conservation, environmental and marine resources bills for 2005

So it begins. (this page will be updated as links to bills appear on the state's website. - RH

(1) Conservation related bills:

LD 27 An Act To Ensure That Sears Island Will Be Used for Industrial and Commercial Purposes

LD 22 Resolve, Directing the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife To Issue a Policy Clarifying Public Access Requirements for Ponds To Qualify for Fish Stocking Programs

LD 35 An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue in the Amount of $75,000,000 for the Land for Maine's Future Fund

LD 48 An Act To Ensure the Safe and Timely Retrieval of Wounded Bear BY REQUEST
LD 50 An Act To Ban Remote-control Hunting


LD 78 An Act To Fund the Acquisition of Land by the Land for Maine's Future Board from the General Fund

LD 89 An Act To Give the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife the Authority To Allow the Operation of Snowmobiles Registered outside the State at Special Events Occurring in the State.

LD 115 An Act Enabling Municipalities To Establish Municipal Land Banks Funded by Local Option Real Estate Transfer Taxes

LD 117 An Act To Amend Provisions of the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission Law


Environmental Bills

LD 99 An Act To Include Specific Bodies of Water within Class C Standards Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources .


LD 126 Resolve, Authorizing the City of Gardiner To Refinance Certain Temporary Bond Anticipation Notes Issued for Its Wastewater Project


Marine Resource related bills
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Sen. Raye of Washington

LD 228 An Act To Provide Funding for the Downeast Institute for Applied Marine Research and Education

LR 1231 An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue in the Amount of $850,000 for the Downeast Institute for Applied Marine Research and Education

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Clough Scarborough
LR 2012 An Act To Protect the Recreational Harvesting of Surf Clams in Saco Bay

Rep Adams Portland
LR 276 Resolve, Regarding Marine Invasive Species

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Percy Phippsburgh
LD 167 An Act To Provide Flexibility for Sea Urchin Zones

LD 189 RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Provide Property Tax Relief to Owners of Property Used for Commercial Fishing and Homestead Land

LR 1200 An Act To Encourage Recreational Lobster Fishing License Holders To Participate in Current Conservation Efforts of the Commercial Lobster Industry

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Sen. Bartlett II of Cumberland
LR 955 An Act To Allow Maine Licensed Vessels Holding a Federal Permit To Lobster in Maine Waters

LR 956 An Act To Allow Certain Maine Licensed Lobster Vessels To Land Lobsters in New Hampshire and Massachusetts
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Sen. Martin of Aroostook
LR 71 An Act To Prevent the Upstream Migration of Exotic Species of Fish above the Fish River Falls and into the Fish River Watershed
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Rep Fletcher of Winslow (?)

LR 2015 An Act To Limit the Harvesting of Downstream Migrating American Eels in Maine Rivers

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Kaelin
LR 1377 An Act to Reestablish the Maine Coast Environmental Trust Fund within the Department of Marine Resources

LR 2070 An Act To Establish a Demersal Finfish Ecologist Position at the Department of Marine Resources
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Damon (Hancock)
LR 861 An Act To Adopt the Recommendations of the Soft-shell Clam Advisory Council
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Pingree
LR 1023 An Act To Encourage Local Affordable Housing, Open Space and Shore Access through a High Valuation Transfer Tax

LR 1848 An Act To Amend the Hours for Lobster Fishing
LR 1962 Resolve, To Encourage the Scallop Industry

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Schatz Blue Hill

LR 1214 Resolve, Directing the Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources to Meet with the Marine Resources Advisory Council and Interested Parties

LR 1215 An Act To Exempt Seafood Dealers with Fewer than 20 Employees from the Department of Marine Resources Statistics-Gathering Requirements

Cement lawsuit proceeding well

Earthjustice DC sends word that their federal case against EPA about Cement Kiln Dust has gotten off to a good start See The case was filed against the Bush Admin for its EPA's failure to meet the deadline for creating rules to regulate cement kiln dust pollution. Because the rules aren't there, neither Dragon Cement Products nor other kilns have any federal pollution regulations to meet, so by definition they're never out of compliance. Get it?.

Defendant EPA tried to have the case dismissed, but the judge instead has given EPA a January 20th deadline to explain to the court why they haven't done what they're supposed to regarding CKD pollution regs, and then EarthJustice has until January 31st to respond to EPA's response, at which point the judge ponders the whole mass of evidence, testimony etc etc, and works up his or her verdict.