This was yet another busy week at the Legislature with our team monitoring a number of committees as bills of interest make their way through the process. In addition to our usual legislative duties, we were honored to co-host a legislative breakfast reception this week with the Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine on Thursday. Thank you to our members for making this important event possible, and to all who attended. Some photos of the event can be found here on our Facebook page.

On Tuesday of this week, members of the Labor and Housing Committee were briefed by Senator Mattie Daughtry and Representative Kristen Cloutier on the work of the Commission to Develop a Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefit Program. This commission was established by the Maine Legislature in 2021 to develop a paid family and medical leave program, and to determine the best way to implement this new policy. The work of this commission will inform the language of LR 9, "An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Commission to Develop a Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program."

The language of LR 9 has not yet been released, but the full presentation is available here, and an abbreviated two-pager is available here. Senator Daughtry and Representative Cloutier are still considering some final details such as the level of benefit to be received (80% or 90%, tied to 120% of of the state average weekly wage) as well as the breakdown between employees and employers (25%/75% or 50%/50%). If you would like to weigh in on these issues, both Senator Daughtry and Representative Cloutier are encouraging businesses and groups to reach out. You can email them at [email protected] and [email protected].

On Wednesday, the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee voted unanimously in favor of LD 390, the 'chop and drop' bill, with an amendment to correct the date this rule change would take effect. The Council supported LD 390. Our testimony can be found here.

Also on Wednesday, the Environment and Natural Resources Committee voted in favor of LD 400, which directs the Department of Environmental Protections to examine setback requirements for outdoor wood boilers. The Council also supported LD 400, and our testimony can be found here.

The Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee held a public hearing on LD 698, "An Act Directing the PUC to Study the State Natural Gas Supply Pursuant to the Maine Energy Cost Reduction Act. Our testimony in support of this bill can be found here.

As you will see below, things are really beginning to heat up for the session with committees in full swing. We would especially like to bring your attention to a bill that will have a public hearing in 10 days, LD 993, "An Act to Facilitate Stakeholder Input Regarding Forest Policy in Maine." The Council strongly opposes this bill, which is a repeat from last year, and we are discouraged to see the Environmental Priorities Coalition championing it without seeking any input from Maine's private forest landowner community.

Should it pass, this bill would politicize forest management decisions while disregarding the important fact that more than 90% of Maine's forestland is privately owned. Private landowners already work collaboratively with the state, the University of Maine System and the environmental advocacy community on a number of successful initiatives to protect Maine's wildlife resources. LD 993 disregards the tremendous work that continues to take place, and the strides our industry has made in recent years, therefore we urge the Legislature to vote ONTP on LD 993. Information on how to submit testimony and/or attend the public hearing is included below. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out.

In addition to the committee work taking place next week, the full Legislature will receive the first "State of the Tribes" address in nearly two decades on Thursday, March 16 at 10:45 am in the House Chamber. This address will include remarks from leaders of each of the four Wabanaki Tribes. The address will stream live here on the Legislature's website.

Best,

Pat Strauch

Maine Forest Products Council

Bills scheduled for a public hearing

Public hearings are livestreamed and archived here on the Legislature's Website. Testimony will be accepted in-person, via Zoom or in writing. Committee meeting guidance for public/interested parties can be found here.

To sign up to testify via Zoom or submit written testimony, click here.

LD 607 - "Resolve, To Direct The Department Of Transportation To Examine The Feasibility Of Extending Interstate 95 To The St. John Valley"

Public Hearing on Tuesday March 14, 2023 @ 1:00 PM in State House, Room 126

MFPC Position: Support

Sponsored by Representative Robert Albert, LD 607 would direct the Department of Transportation to study the feasibility of extending Interstate 95 to the St. John Valley and make a report of its findings to the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation no later than December 6, 2023.

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LD 652 - "An Act To Allow The Reinstatement Of Certain Commercial Driver's Licenses"

Public Hearing on Tuesday March 14, 2023 @ 1:00 PM in State House, Room 126

MFPC Position: Support

Sponsored by Senator Troy Jackson, LD 652 would allow that a person whose commercial driver's license (CDL) has been permanently suspended due to a 2nd or subsequent failure to submit to a drug or alcohol test may after 10 years petition the Secretary of State for a review and reinstatement of that license for good cause shown.

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LD 43 - "An Act To Reduce The Cost Of Electricity By Removing The 100-megawatt Limit On Renewable Resources Of Energy"

LD 622 - "An Act To Create Equal Opportunity Access To Clean Energy By Removing The 100-megawatt Limit On Clean Energy Sources"

Public Hearing on Tuesday March 14, 2023 @ 3:15 PM in Cross Building, Room 211

MFPC Position: Oppose

Sponsored by Senator Jeff Timberlake (LD 43) and Rep. Donald Ardell (LD 622) these bills would remove the 100-megawatt maximum capacity limit for a source of electrical generation to qualify as a renewable resource for purposes of meeting the State's renewable resource portfolio requirement.

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LD 881 - "Resolve, Directing The University Of Maine System To Study The Development Of A Course Regarding The Use Of Manufactured Wood Products"

Public Hearing on Wednesday March 15, 2023 @ 1:00 PM in Cross Building, Room 208

MFPC Position: Support

Sponsored by Representative Samuel Zager, LD 881 directs the University of Maine System to study the development of a course for midcareer architects and engineers on incorporating manufactured wood products into their work. The University of Maine System is required to submit a report based on its study by December 6, 2023 for presentation to the Second Regular Session of the 131st Legislature.

It is our understanding that LD 881 will be amended to study the barriers to using CLT in the construction industry.

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LD 993 - "An Act To Facilitate Stakeholder Input Regarding Forest Policy In Maine"

Public Hearing on Monday March 20, 2023 @ 9:00 AM in Cross Building, Room 214

MFPC Position: Oppose

Sponsored by Rep. Maggie O'Neil, LD 993 would create a Maine Forest Advisory Board to advise the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Forestry on a variety of forestry issues and to provide input on the state forest action plan required under the federal Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. The board is directed to submit annual reports to the Legislature, including a report outlining conditions and trends in the State's forests to be submitted by December 6, 2023 to the Second Regular Session of the 131st Legislature.

The Council strongly opposes this bill, as it seeks to make forest policy political, and it fails to account for the fact that the vast majority of forestland in Maine is privately owned.

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LD 1048 - "An Act Regarding The Authority Of Municipalities To Regulate Timber Harvesting"

Public Hearing on Monday March 20, 2023 @ 9:00 AM in Cross Building, Room 214

MFPC Position: Support

Sponsored by Senator Russell Black, LD 1048 clarifies that the definition of "timber harvesting activities" under the forest practices laws does not include activities that result, within 5 years of the completion of such activities, in a change of land use. The bill also provides that municipal timber harvesting ordinances must adopt definitions for forestry terms that are consistent with definitions in the Maine Revised Statutes, requires that municipal ordinances subject to review by the Bureau of Forestry are limited to ordinances that regulate timber harvesting, and provides that a municipal harvesting ordinance may not be adopted only after certification by the bureau.

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LD 434 - "An Act To Protect Landowners And Increase Safety On All-terrain Vehicle Trails By Increasing Funding To The Atv Recreational Management Fund"

Public Hearing on Monday March 20, 2023 @ 1:00 PM in Cross Building, Room 206

MFPC Position: Support

Sponsored by Rep. Richard Mason, LD 434 would increase the fee for resident and nonresident all-terrain vehicle registrations. It would also registrations available at a reduced rate for members of official all-terrain vehicle clubs. All fees raised by this increase would be deposited in the ATV Recreational Management Fund.

Bills scheduled for a work session

Work Sessions are livestreamed and archived here on the Legislature's Website.

LD 180 - "An Act to Allow a Person to File a Paper Copy of a Timber Harvest Notification Form

Work Session on Monday March 13, 2023 @ 10:30 AM in Cross Building, Room 214

Sponsored by Senator Russell Black, LD 180 would allow harvest notification forms to be submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Forestry in either an electronic or paper format. Currently, electronic filing is required. The Council is supportive of continuing efforts to improve the electronic system.

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LD 607 - "Resolve, To Direct The Department Of Transportation To Examine The Feasibility Of Extending Interstate 95 To The St. John Valley"

Work Session on Wednesday March 15, 2023 @ 10:00 AM in State House, Room 126

MFPC Position: Support

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LD 652 - "An Act To Allow The Reinstatement Of Certain Commercial Driver's Licenses"

Work Session on Wednesday March 15, 2023 @ 10:00 AM in State House, Room 126

MFPC Position: Support

Regulatory Calendar

Extended Producer Responsibility

Readily recyclable, audits and program goals

EPR-RR, Audits, & Program Goals-#1 Stakeholder Meeting Registration: Tuesday, March 14th, 1:00 to 5:00 pm EDT
EPR-RR, Audits, & Program Goals-#2 Stakeholder Meeting Registration: Tuesday, March 28th, 1:00 to 5:00 pm EDT
Focus-meeting (tentative): Tuesday, April 11th 1:00 to 5:00 pm EDT

The background document for this meeting is now available on the Department’s EPR for packaging website, and it can be accessed using the following link: Background Info Readily Recyclable, Audits, and Goals.pdf (maine.gov).

The Council is monitoring this issue closely. Paper products were recycled at a rate of 68% in 2021; cardboard was recycled at a rate of 91.4%. Together, paper and cardboard were recycled at a rate of 76.6% and can be reused up to seven times. All other materials were recycled at a rate of just 23.4%. For that reason, we are concerned that the EPR law could saddle the paper industry with the cost of recycling non-renewable fossil fuel derived products.

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Notice of Agency Rulemaking Proposal

AGENCY: 02-333 Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board of Licensure of Foresters

The Board of Licensure of Foresters has proposed new/amended rules regarding licensure by for credentialed individuals from other jurisdictions, as well as clarifying terminology, definitions, forester roles and agreements.

For a copy of the proposed rule and related documents, please direct your request to the contact person for this filing or visit Board of Licensure of Foresters and scroll down to “What’s New.”

COMMENT DEADLINE: Friday, March 17, 2023 by 5:00 PM

CONTACT PERSON FOR THIS FILING (include name, mailing address, telephone, fax, TTY, email): Catherine E. Pendergast, 35 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0035, 207-624-8518, TTY: Maine relay 711, [email protected].

About MFPC

Since 1961, the Maine Forest Products Council has been the voice of Maine's forest economy. MFPC's members are landowners, loggers, truckers, paper mills, tree farmers, foresters, lumber processors and the owners of more than 8 million acres of commercial forestland, but they are also bankers, lawyers and insurance executives. The Council represents members at the Maine Legislature throughout the state, in Washington D.C. and the U.S.

Patrick Strauch, Executive Director

Krysta West, Deputy Director

Pat Sirois, SFI Coordinator

Sue McCarthy, Office Manager

207-622-9288

www.maineforest.org

535 Civic Center Drive, Augusta, Maine 04330

Thanks to MFPC's sponsors!

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