§6406.__Board responsibilities; acquisitions and management;

assistance

1.__Acquisition and management.__The board shall acquire and manage lands using sustainable forestry practices so that the land:

A.__Produces income to contribute to sustaining the board's responsibilities; and

B.__To the extent possible considering paragraph A, is available for public access and recreation.

2.__Board responsibilities.__The board shall:

A.__Complete an assessment of the State's needs concerning lands devoted to sustainable forestry and lands available for public access and recreation.__The board shall develop a strategy and guidelines based on that assessment for use in allocating the proceeds of the fund to ensure that the State continues to have a viable part of its economy based on sustainable forestry.__Both the assessment and the development of a strategy and guidelines must be conducted with opportunities for participation by interested state agencies and the public;

B.__Develop a management plan to manage the Maine woods in order to maintain the woods for sustainable forestry practices and public access and recreation;

C.__Receive and review funding requests from state agencies and cooperating entities for acquisition projects that meet guidelines;

D.__In accordance with the strategy and guidelines developed under paragraph A, authorize distribution of proceeds from the fund for acquisitions of property or interests in property;

E.__Ensure that acquisition of land and management of land by the board do not result in a decrease in property taxes collected by the taxing authority by providing payments on the land in lieu of taxes to that taxing authority where the land is located; and

F.__On January 31, 2001 and on January 31st every 2 years thereafter, report to the joint standing committee of the