APPROVED CHAPTER
MAY 23, 2025 93
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
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S.P. 360 - L.D. 795
An Act to Establish a Waiver Process from the Permit Requirements for the
Use of Explosives in Recreational or Hobby Mining Activities
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 25 MRSA §2473-A is enacted to read:
§2473-A. Waiver of permit requirements for recreational or hobby mining
Notwithstanding section 2473, a person intending to conduct recreational or hobby
mining activities may request and the commissioner may approve a waiver from the permit
requirements of section 2473 for the possession, use, storage and transportation of
explosives for use in the recreational or hobby mining activities.
1. Criteria for approval. The commissioner may approve a waiver under this section
if the commissioner determines that:
A. The person requesting the waiver has not committed any violations of this chapter
or the rules adopted pursuant to this chapter or any other violations of law or rules
relating to public safety;
B. The person requesting the waiver has demonstrated to the commissioner's
satisfaction that compliance with the requirements of this chapter is impractical with
respect to the recreational or hobby mining activities the person intends to conduct;
C. Approving the waiver will not compromise public safety or pose a risk to public or
private property;
D. The person requesting the waiver has agreed to implement alternative safety
measures for the possession, use, storage and transportation of explosives as directed
by the commissioner; and
E. The person requesting the waiver had previously been issued a waiver from the
requirements of section 2473 by the commissioner prior to March 4, 2025.
2. Rules. The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to implement this section.
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5,
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
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 As used in this section, "recreational or hobby mining activities" means mining
activities for which a person is not required to obtain a permit under the Maine Metallic
Mineral Mining Act and that are conducted for a noncommercial purpose.
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