PART A

Sec. A-1. 12 MRSA c. 805, sub-c. 3-A, §8866 is enacted to read:

§8866.__Purpose

The Legislature finds and declares that the State's forests are resources of state significance.__These resources have great economic value, environmental value, scenic beauty and unique characteristics and unsurpassed recreational, cultural and historical values of present and future benefit to the citizens of the State.__The well-being of communities of the State depends upon sustainable forest management.__Liquidation harvesting is a serious and direct threat to forest management, forest industries and rural communities over the landscape of Maine.__Liquidation harvesting produces significant adverse economic and environmental effects and threatens the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of the State.__Liquidation harvesting is incompatible with responsible forest stewardship and must be substantially eliminated.

Sec. A-2. 12 MRSA §8868, sub-§6 is enacted to read:

6.__Liquidation harvesting.__"Liquidation harvesting" means the purchase of timberland followed by a harvest that removes most or all commercial value in standing timber, without regard for long-term forest management principles, and the subsequent sale or attempted resale of the harvested land within 5 years.

Sec. A-3. 12 MRSA §8869, first ¶, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 555, §10, is amended to read:

To promote a healthy and sustainable forest that contains a balance of age classes necessary for a sustainable timber supply and spatial and compositional diversity, forest harvesting shall be and liquidation harvesting are regulated pursuant to this subchapter.

Sec. A-4. 12 MRSA §8869, sub-§14 is enacted to read:

14.__Substantial elimination of liquidation harvesting.__The commissioner shall adopt rules to substantially eliminate liquidation harvesting.

Sec. A-5. Rulemaking regarding liquidation harvesting. No later than February 1, 2004, the Commissioner of Conservation shall provisionally adopt rules to substantially eliminate