§ 12 §8423-C — Presalvage and salvage harvesting

1.
Regulation.
The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry shall regulate the presalvage and salvage harvesting of forest stands in areas that, based on the proportion of balsam fir, white spruce, red spruce, black spruce, other softwood and hardwood components present, have significant risk of damage from spruce budworm and are subject to a credible threat of imminent spruce budworm damage.
2.
Notification.
Prior to beginning timber harvesting pursuant to this subchapter, a landowner or designated agent shall notify the bureau in accordance with the notification requirements set forth in chapter 805, subchapter 5.
3.
Reporting.
Timber harvests conducted pursuant to this subchapter are subject to the same reporting requirements set forth in chapter 805, subchapter 5, except that the director may require additional information to be reported to satisfy the requirements of this subchapter.
4.
Confidentiality.
Reports filed in accordance with subsection 3 are confidential. The director may publish summary reports that use aggregated data that do not reveal the activities of an individual person or firm. Reports submitted pursuant to subsection 3 must be available for the use of the State Tax Assessor for the administration of Title 36.
5.
Rules.
The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement this subchapter, including rules establishing spruce budworm timber harvesting standards. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.
6.
Penalties.
A person who violates this section or a rule adopted pursuant to this section commits a civil violation and is subject to the following penalties:

Legislative History

PL 2015, c. 314, §12 (NEW).