The content in this preview is based on the last saved version of your email - any changes made to your email that have not been saved will not be shown in this preview.

View as Webpage


This was a busy week in Augusta for the Council, as there were many moving parts and a number of bills we unfortunately had to play defense on.


On Monday, the Council testified before the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee in support of LD 1048, "An Act Regarding the Authority of Municipalities to Regulate Timber Harvesting."


If passed, this bill, which is the result of a stakeholder study group created by the 130th Legislature, would create consistency in forestry definitions and regulations across municipalities in Maine while ensuring that ordinances seeking to regulate timber harvesting operations are based on sound science. It would also create a centralized database of municipal ordinances that apply to forestry operations within the Maine Forest Service, making compliance simpler for loggers, foresters, landowners and contractors. 


***


Later that day, we stood shoulder-to-shoulder before the same committee with a number of Council members to strongly oppose LD 993, "An Act to Facilitate Stakeholder Input Regarding Forest Policy in Maine."


As drafted, this bill would politicize important forest management decisions, subjecting private landowners and the Bureau of Forestry to the will of a simple majority of a 21-member board appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House. 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.


Please join us in thanking Weyerhaeuser, Irving Woodlands, Seven Islands Land Company, Council Treasurer Peter Triandafillou, Maine Woodland Owners, Maine Professional Guides Association and others for joining us in opposition.


The Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee will hold public hearings on both LD 993 and LD 1048 on Wednesday. The Council is hopeful that the ACF Committee will heed our concerns and vote ought not to pass on LD 993.


***

Also of interest on Monday, the federal government ruled that it is possible for Atlantic Salmon to coexist with hydroelectric dams on the Kennebec River with conservation measures that will require a significant investment by Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners. The agency, NOAA, reviewed the dams as part of Brookfield's ongoing efforts to relicense the Shawmut Dam in Skowhegan. More information on this ruling can be found here. The Sappi Mill in Skowhegan depends on the Shawmut Dam to operate, so the Council welcomes this news from Washington, D.C.


***


On Tuesday, we submitted testimony to the Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee in support of LD 890, "An Act to Create the Child Care Provider Student Loan Repayment Fund."


While it may seem unusual for the Council to weigh in on child care issues, the lack of affordable child care providers has increasingly becoming a problem for our industry, and for all employers, especially in rural Maine. For that reason, the Council is part of a broad coalition this session supporting a bipartisan bill induced by Senator Trey Stewart, LD 1222, “An Act to Expand Child Care Services Through an Employer-supported Tax Credit." The Council views LD 890 as a potentially useful tool to recruit new providers to the childcare industry in underserved areas of the state, so we are appreciative of Sen. Joe Baldacci for bringing this bill forward.


***


On Wednesday, the Council was on the defensive once again, testifying in strong opposition to LD 928, “Resolution, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Establish a Right to a Clean and Healthy Environment.”

 

This proposed constitutional amendment raises many legal questions about the effect on Maine government, law and citizens. The Maine Legislature should carefully review this proposal to understand its ramifications, which include the creation of a litigious regulatory environment at both the state and local levels.


Also testifying in opposition included Irving Woodlands, Weyerhaeuser, Maine Woodland Owners, the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine, Maine Municipal Association, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and others. Thanks to those who joined us in opposition to this bill.

 

The Council also monitored the progress of a number of bills in other committees as well. As always, if you have any questions, or need help submitting testimony or contacting your legislator, please contact Krysta at [email protected].

 

Thank you.


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 672 - "An Act To Establish Youth Deer Hunting Weekend"


Public Hearing in IFW on Monday March 27, 2023 @ 1:00 PM in Cross Building, Room 206


MFPC Position: Oppose


Sponsored by Rep. Rick Mason, LD 672 would allow the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to establish a youth deer hunting weekend instead of one day.

______________________________________________________________


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


Public Hearing in EUT on Tuesday March 28, 2023 @ 1:00 PM in Cross Building, Room 211


MFPC Position: Oppose


Sponsored by Representative Donald Ardell, LD 622 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.

______________________________________________________________


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


Public Hearing in EUT on Tuesday March 28, 2023 @ 1:00 PM in Cross Building, Room 211


MFPC Position: Oppose


Sponsored by Senator Jeff Timberlake, LD 43 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.

______________________________________________________________


LD 1111 - "An Act Concerning Contracts And Agreement For Large-scale Water Extraction"


Public Hearing in EUT on Thursday March 30, 2023 @ 1:00 PM in Cross Building, Room 211


MFPC Position: Oppose


Sponsored by Rep. Maggie O'Neil, LD 1111 would amend the State's laws concerning contracts and agreements for the large scale extraction and transportation of water by requiring any such contract or agreement to be approved by a vote of the legislative body of each municipality and township located within the watershed from which water is to be extracted and transported pursuant to that contract or agreement. It also provides that a consumer-owned water utility may not enter into any contract or agreement with another entity for the large-scale extraction and transportation of water with a term longer than 3 years.

______________________________________________________________


LD 341 - "An Act To Amend The Maine Tree Growth Tax Law To Encourage Housing Construction"


Public Hearing in TAX on Thursday March 30, 2023 @ 1:00 PM in State House, Room 127


MFPC Position: Neither for nor against


Sponsored by Rep. John Ducharme, LD 341 reduces the penalty for withdrawal of land from classification under the Maine Tree Growth Tax Law if the land is used for the construction of single-family residential housing and the conditions required for building construction are met within 2 years of withdrawal. Sponsor considering a limit of 2 or 5 acres for lot sizes. Penalty would go to new landowner if building permit is pulled or house isn't built within the time period.

______________________________________________________________


LD 1025 - "An Act To Improve Maine's Economy By Changing The Hours Of Operation For Oversize Loads"


Public Hearing in TRA on Thursday March 30, 2023 @ 1:00 PM in State House, Room 126


MFPC Position: Support


Sponsored by Rep. Joseph Underwood, LD 1025 directs the Secretary of State to adopt rules regarding overlimit movement permits to allow movement on any day of the week, including a holiday, other than Sunday. The bill directs the Secretary of State to adopt rules allowing for permitted overlimit moves 1/2 hour before sunrise until 10 p.m. The bill directs the Secretary of State to adopt rules to allow vehicles up to 12 feet in width to be issued long-term permits.

Bills scheduled for a work session


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


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


Work Session in ACF on Wednesday March 29, 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.

______________________________________________________________


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


Work Session in ACF on Wednesday March 29, 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.

Regulatory Calendar


Extended Producer Responsibility

Readily recyclable, audits and program goals


Due to impending weather, the Department will postpone the stakeholder meeting scheduled for March 14th to March 28th. Resultantly, the stakeholder meeting scheduled for March 28th will be postponed to the tentative focus-meeting date of April 11th

If you have already registered for a stakeholder meeting addressing the topics of readily recyclable, audits, and program goals, you do not need to register again. In the case you have not yet registered and would like to, please use the following links:



As a reminder, Meeting 1 will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to provide information and their perspective on the topic, and Meeting 2 will allow for discussion of issues raised during Meeting 1. Meetings will be held in room 101 of the Deering Building located at 90 Blossom Lane, Augusta, Maine 04330 and available virtually. The Departments asks stakeholders who plan to present comments provide a written copy to [email protected].


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.

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 SiroisSFI Coordinator

Sue McCarthy, Office Manager


207-622-9288

www.maineforest.org

535 Civic Center Drive, Augusta, Maine 04330

Thanks to MFPC's sponsors!

Click on the images below to visit their websites

Visit our website

Follow MFPC on Facebook