LAW WITHOUT
GOVERNOR'S CHAPTER
SIGNATURE
654
APRIL 23, 2022 PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
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IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-TWO
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S.P. 343 - L.D. 1075
An Act To Protect Public Lands
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §598-C is enacted to read:
§598-C. Process for determination of reduction or substantially altered use of
designated land
The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Parks and Lands
shall adopt rules to establish an objective evaluation process for determining if a proposed
activity on land designated under this chapter and under the jurisdiction of the bureau would
cause the land to be reduced or the uses of the land to be substantially altered. In adopting
the rules, the bureau shall observe the requirements relating to designated lands in the
Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 23 and ensure proper exercise of the bureau's
public trust responsibility. These rules must also include provisions for public notice and
comment before authorizing any such activity and for determining the appropriate
instrument to be used to authorize that activity, including but not limited to whether an
easement, lease, license or other instrument should be used. Rules adopted pursuant to this
section are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
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