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| 8.__Person.__"Person" means an individual, corporation, business | | trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, 2 or more persons | | having a joint or common interest, or any other legal or commercial | | entity. |
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| | | 9.__Rapidly flowing river.__"Rapidly flowing river" means a | | river or stretch of a river with rapids classified as class IV or | | higher by the department according to the International River | | Classification System or a river or stretch of a river designated | | by the department by rule on the basis of public safety, | | including, but not limited to, the Kennebec River between Harris | | Station and West Forks and the West Branch Penobscot River | | between McKay Station and Pockwockamus Falls. |
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| | | 10.__Whitewater craft.__"Whitewater craft" means any raft, | | dory, bateau or similar watercraft that is used to transport | | passengers along rapidly flowing rivers but does not include | | canoes or kayaks. |
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| | | 11.__Whitewater guide.__"Whitewater guide" means a person who | | receives any remuneration for accompanying, assisting or | | instructing passengers on the river on whitewater trips and who | | holds a current whitewater guide's license. |
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| | | 12.__Whitewater trip.__"Whitewater trip" means a commercial | | effort to transport passengers by means of a whitewater craft on | | rapidly flowing rivers, except commercial efforts by guides | | licensed under section 12853 to transport clients by means of a | | whitewater craft on rapidly flowing rivers while principally | | engaged in fishing. |
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| | | §12902.__Legislative findings |
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| | | The Legislature finds that the recreational use of watercraft | | on rapidly flowing rivers in this State has become an | | increasingly popular sport. Many members of the public rely on | | commercial whitewater outfitters to provide safe and enjoyable | | trips on these rivers.__This sport may pose significant risks to | | the users of these rivers if outfitters are not skilled and | | knowledgeable in the navigation of those rivers and are not | | properly regulated. |
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| | | The Legislature further finds that increased use of the | | State's rapidly flowing rivers has increased the environmental, | | physical and social burdens on that resource. |
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| | | The Legislature further finds that it is in the public | | interest for the State, as trustee of the public waters, to | | regulate commercial whitewater rafting, pursuant to:__the State's |
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