CHAPTER 564
H.P. 1594 - L.D. 2097
An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Committee to Study Access to Private and Public Lands in Maine
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §6207, sub-§5 is enacted to read:
5. Estimation of monitoring and management costs. Prior to final approval of a project under this chapter, a person submitting a proposal to acquire property or an interest in property with funding from the Land for Maine's Future Fund or the Public Access to Maine Waters Fund shall provide:
A. A description of the management envisioned for the property for the first 10 years following acquisition. When the application proposes acquiring an interest in property, the application must provide a description of the anticipated management responsibilities retained by the landowner and those to be assumed by the State or a cooperating entity;
B. Preliminary estimates of the costs to the State or a cooperating entity of managing the land for the uses proposed in the application; and
C. Preliminary estimates of the costs associated with monitoring compliance with an easement when an interest in land is acquired.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §8879, sub-§1-A is enacted to read:
1-A. Report on changes in ownership of forest land. Using information received under Title 36, section 581-E, the director shall monitor changes in ownership of parcels of forest land that are 1,000 acres or greater in area within the municipalities of the State and classified under the Maine Tree Growth Tax Law. Using information received under Title 36, sections 581-E and 581-F, the director shall monitor the number of parcels classified under the Maine Tree Growth Tax Law and the distribution of parcels by size. The biennial report must include information on the number of parcels, classified by size categories, for the organized and unorganized territories of the State. The information must be presented in a manner that facilitates comparison from year to year.
In assessing changes in forest land ownership, the director shall also consider information reported pursuant to Title 36, sections 305 and 2728. The director shall provide a summary of changes in ownership of forest land in the biennial report.
Sec. 3. 36 MRSA §305, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 620, §10, is amended to read:
5. Rules and regulations. Promulgate, after appropriate notice and hearing, all rules and regulations necessary to carry into effect any of its duties and responsibilities.; and
Sec. 4. 36 MRSA §305, sub-§6 is enacted to read:
6. Report on changes in land ownership. On or before September 1st of each year, report to the Commissioner of Conservation, the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Director of the State Planning Office within the Executive Department and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over public lands on the transfer in ownership of parcels of land 10,000 acres or greater within the unorganized territory of the State. Using information maintained by the State Tax Assessor under section 1602 and section 4641-D, the bureau shall provide information for each transfer that includes:
A. Name of the seller;
B. Name of the buyer;
C. Number of acres transferred;
D. Classification of land;
E. Location by township and county;
F. Sale price; and
G. A brief description of the property.
Sec. 5. 36 MRSA §581-F is enacted to read:
§581-F. Report to the Bureau of Forestry on land in unorganized territory
On or before September 1st of each year, the State Tax Assessor shall provide to the Department of Conservation, Bureau of Forestry information on land within the unorganized territory taxed according to this subchapter. The information must include the number of parcels enrolled, classified by parcel size categories. The State Tax Assessor shall consult with the Director of the Bureau of Forestry in determining the parcel size categories and shall provide the information in a consistent format to facilitate comparison from year to year.
Sec. 6. 36 MRSA §2728 is enacted to read:
§2728. Report on ownership of commercial forest land by size of ownership
On or before September 1st of each year, the State Tax Assessor shall provide the Director of the Bureau of Forestry within the Department of Conservation with information on the number of landowners filing tax returns in accordance with this chapter, including a breakdown of the number of landowners by acreage categories. The State Tax Assessor shall consult with the Director of the Bureau of Forestry in determining the acreage categories and shall provide the information in a consistent format to facilitate comparison from year to year.
Effective July 25, 2002, unless otherwise indicated.
| Revisor of Statutes Homepage | Subject Index | Search | 120th Laws of Maine | Maine Legislature |
