This bill eliminates redundancy in the permitting process between the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission and the Department of Environmental Protection. It alters the relationship between the 2 agencies to more closely parallel the relationship between municipalities and the Department of Environmental Protection and brings the functions of the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission more closely in line with those of a municipal planning board.

Under provisions of this bill, large development activities that require sophisticated technical expertise to review will be regulated by the Department of Environmental Protection regardless of their location in the State. Within the unorganized and deorganized areas of the State, routine permitting decisions and all zoning considerations will be made by the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission. All activities governed by the natural resources protection laws, including the alteration of wetlands, will be regulated exclusively by the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission within the unorganized and deorganized areas of the State.

The bill also modifies the membership requirements to serve on the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission. Rather than requiring that 4 members be residents of the commission's jurisdiction, the bill would require that all 7 members reside in, work in or have special knowledge of the needs and issues affecting the unorganized and deorganized areas of the State.

The bill amends the process by which rezoning requests may be approved by the commission. The bill expands the requirements to maintain regional field offices for the benefit of residents of the unorganized and deorganized areas.

The bill also makes many minor revisions to the statutes of the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission to delete or update obsolete language or unnecessary provisions and to clarify the commission's process for rulemaking and public hearings.