| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §1801, sub-§4-A is enacted to read: |
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| | 4-A.__Ecological reserve.__"Ecological reserve" means an area | of land set aside for a period of one year or more on which human | activities are restricted for the purpose of preserving a natural | community type, habitat, plant__or wildlife species, providing a | reference point for scientific evaluation or establishing or | maintaining biological diversity. |
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| | Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §1805 is enacted to read: |
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| §1805.__Legislative approval required for establishment of an |
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| | Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, after October | 1, 1999, an ecological reserve as defined in section 1801, | subsection 4-A may not be created on land under the jurisdiction | of the bureau except by a majority vote of the Legislature. |
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| | Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §7653-A is enacted to read: |
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| §7653-A.__Legislative approval required for establishment of an |
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| | Notwithstanding the provisions of this subchapter, after | October 1, 1999, an ecological reserve may not be created on land | under the jurisdiction of the department except by a majority | vote of the Legislature.__For purposes of this section, | "ecological reserve" means an area of land set aside for a period | of one year or more on which human activities are restricted for | the purpose of preserving a natural community type, habitat, | plant__or wildlife species, providing a reference point for | scientific evaluation or establishing or maintaining biological | diversity. |
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| | This bill requires approval of the Legislature for creation of | an ecological reserve on land under the jurisdiction of the | Bureau of Parks and Lands or the Department of Inland Fisheries | and Wildlife. |
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