An Act To Create an Updated Unified Maine Climate Action Plan

Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §578-A  is enacted to read:

§ 578-A.  Access to climate data; University of Maine System

The University of Maine System shall develop and implement procedures for providing climate data collected by the University of Maine System to residents of the State.

Sec. 2. Maine Climate Action Plan update. The Department of Environmental Protection, referred to in this section as "the department," working with the Maine Interagency Climate Adaptation Work Group, referred to in this section as "the MICA Work Group," and the University of Maine, shall prepare an update to the Maine Climate Action Plan developed in 2004 by the department pursuant to Public Law 2003, chapter 237 and referred to in this section as "the plan."

1. Greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. The updated plan must identify targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions beyond 2020.

2. Mitigation strategies. The updated plan must address climate change mitigation strategies. The department shall update mitigation strategies for reducing the emission of greenhouse gases in the State, including updating the strategies for greenhouse gas mitigation included in the plan and identifying new strategies by applying the latest scientific and technological information available related to climate change.

3. Adaptation strategies. The updated plan must address climate change adaptation strategies. The department shall update the adaptation priorities described in the 2010 report entitled "People and Nature Adapting to a Changing Climate: Charting Maine's Course" submitted to the Joint Standing Committee on Natural Resources during the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature. The updated plan must include adaptation strategies for implementation that prioritize cost-effectiveness and the welfare of the State's citizens and visitors and that recognize the value of natural resources in the State.

4. MICA Work Group; stakeholder group. The department, in coordination with the MICA Work Group, shall convene a stakeholder group to evaluate the climate change mitigation strategies and adaptation strategies available to the State in order to update the plan pursuant to this section. The stakeholder group must include a broad representation of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, representatives of:

The MICA Work Group is a group coordinated by the department with representatives from 8 state agencies that consolidate resources for climate change adaptation and mitigation and collaborate on opportunities for cross-agency projects related to climate change. The 8 agencies represented on the MICA Work Group are the Department of Environmental Protection; the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry; the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Maine Emergency Management Agency; the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention; the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; the Department of Marine Resources; the Department of Transportation; and the Governor's Energy Office. Funding for staff support to the MICA Work Group and for meeting, travel and other operational expenses related to the department's work in updating the plan must be provided to the department from the General Fund.

5. Student internships. The department, in coordination with the University of Maine, shall provide internships for students to work with the department and the MICA Work Group in the development and implementation of the updated plan. An internship coordinator at the University of Maine shall manage the internship program and facilitate the integration of University of Maine resources, including, but not limited to, the Climate Change Institute, the Maine Sea Grant, the Cooperative Extension, research centers and academic units, in the development of the updated plan. Funding for the internships and the internship coordinator must be provided to the University of Maine from the General Fund.

6. Consultants. The department may contract with consultants to assist the department in updating the plan.

7. Report. By December 1, 2021, the department shall submit a report on the updated plan to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over environment and natural resources matters. The committee may submit legislation relating to the report, including, but not limited to, legislation adopting the greenhouse gas emissions targets, mitigation strategies and adaptation strategies identified in the updated plan and requiring future progress reports to the committee, to the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.

Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF

Administration - Environmental Protection 0251

Initiative: Provides a one-time appropriation for staff support to the Maine Interagency Climate Adaptation Work Group and for consultants.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21
All Other	$175,000	$0
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$175,000	$0

Administration - Environmental Protection 0251

Initiative: Provides an appropriation for All Other costs for meetings, travel and other operating expenses related to work on preparing an update to the Maine Climate Action Plan.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21
All Other	$20,000	$0
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$20,000	$0

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF
DEPARTMENT TOTALS	2019-20	2020-21
GENERAL FUND	$195,000	$0
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$195,000	$0

UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM, BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE

Educational and General Activities - UMS 0031

Initiative: Provides ongoing funds to develop and implement procedures for providing climate data collected by the University of Maine System to residents of the State in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 38, section 578-A.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21
All Other	$35,000	$35,000
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$35,000	$35,000

Educational and General Activities - UMS 0031

Initiative: Provides ongoing funds for an internship program with the Department of Environmental Protection for students to work with the department and the Maine Interagency Climate Adaptation Work Group in the development and implementation of an update to the Maine Climate Action Plan.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21
All Other	$50,000	$50,000
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$50,000	$50,000

Educational and General Activities - UMS 0031

Initiative: Provides ongoing funds for an internship coordinator to manage the internship program and facilitate the integration of University of Maine resources in the development of an update to the Maine Climate Action Plan.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21
All Other	$20,000	$20,000
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$20,000	$20,000

UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM, BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
DEPARTMENT TOTALS	2019-20	2020-21
GENERAL FUND	$105,000	$105,000
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$105,000	$105,000

SECTION TOTALS	2019-20	2020-21
GENERAL FUND	$300,000	$105,000
SECTION TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$300,000	$105,000

summary

This bill requires the Department of Environmental Protection, working with the Maine Interagency Climate Adaptation Work Group, or MICA Work Group, and the University of Maine, to update the Maine Climate Action Plan developed in 2004 by the department. It requires the updated plan to address both mitigation and adaptation strategies. It requires the department and the MICA Work Group to convene a group of stakeholders to evaluate the mitigation and adaptation strategies in order to update the plan and it provides for internships for University of Maine students to work on the development and implementation of the updated plan. It authorizes the department to hire consultants. It requires the University of Maine System to develop and implement procedures for providing climate data to residents of the State. It also includes an appropriations and allocations section.