10. Significant wildlife habitat. "Significant wildlife habitat" means candidates proposed by staff of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for designation as high-value and moderate-value waterfowl and wading bird habitats, including nesting and feeding areas, that have a completed Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife field survey under the ecoregional survey for water birds and the following areas to the extent that they have been mapped by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife or are within any other protected natural resource: habitat, as defined by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, for species appearing on the official state or federal lists of endangered or threatened animal species; high and moderate value deer wintering areas and travel corridors as defined by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; high and moderate value waterfowl and wading bird habitats, including nesting and feeding areas as defined by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; critical spawning and nursery areas for Atlantic salmon as defined by the Atlantic Salmon Commission; shorebird nesting, feeding and staging areas and seabird nesting islands as defined by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; and significant vernal pools as defined and identified by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. For purposes of this subsection, "identified" means identified in a specific location by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. For purposes of this subsection, candidates proposed by the staff of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for designation as high-value and moderate-value waterfowl and wading bird habitats, including nesting and feeding areas, are deemed to be mapped by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Sec. 3. 38 MRSA §480-I, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1991, c. 693, §2, is further amended to read:

1. Identification by maps. The commissioner shall map areas meeting the definition of freshwater wetlands and fragile mountain areas set forth in this article and shall periodically review and revise the maps identifying these areas. The data developed under section 546-B may be used for mapping significant wildlife habitat. Maps of significant wildlife habitats must be adopted by rule pursuant to the Maine Administrative Procedure Act to the extent that those habitats are identified by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, except that maps of candidates proposed by staff of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for designation as high-value and moderate-value waterfowl and wading bird habitats, including nesting and feeding areas, that have a completed Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife field survey under the ecoregional