Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §685-C, sub-§12 is enacted to read:

12.__Notification to abutters.__Notification to abutters must be provided in accordance with this subsection.

A.__At a minimum, the applicant shall provide notice to abutters to a project as determined by local tax records when an application for a permit or license is submitted to the department.__Notice must be made in a manner prescribed by the commission by rule, which, at a minimum, must include a requirement that the notice be made by certified mail requiring signature by the recipient.__The applicant shall provide to the commission proof of notification under this paragraph and a list of abutters to whom notice was provided.__The proof of notification must include a copy of the certified mail signed as received by the recipient.__The commission may not determine an application to be complete without receiving proof of notification.__Rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

B.__The commission shall provide notice to abutters identified on the list provided by the applicant under paragraph A when a permit or license is denied or issued by the commission.

Sec. 2. 38 MRSA §344, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1991, c. 804, Pt. B, §2 and affected by §7, is further amended to read:

1. Acceptance and notification. The commissioner shall notify the applicant in writing of the official date on which the application was accepted as complete for processing or the reasons the application was not accepted. If a written notice of acceptance or nonacceptance is not mailed to the applicant within 15 working days of receipt of the application, the application is deemed to be accepted as complete for processing on the 15th working day after receipt by the department. If the application is not accepted, the commissioner shall return the application to the applicant with the reasons for nonacceptance specified in writing. Any applicant whose application has not been accepted by the commissioner shall attend a presubmission meeting with the department before resubmitting that application. The commissioner shall notify the board of all applications accepted as complete.

An application is acceptable as complete for processing if the application is properly filled out and, information is provided for each of the items included on the form and proof of notice as