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management to the Governor, the Legislature and the joint standing | committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over forestry | matters.__In conducting its review and generating its report, the | council may consider in addition to the forest management audits | any public, nonconfidential records it considers useful.__In | conducting its review and generating its report, the council may | not substitute its own or any other goals, criteria and standards | of sustainable forest management. |
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| | 5.__Meetings.__The council shall meet at least 3 times per | year and as often as it considers necessary to perform its | duties.__The members shall hold an initial meeting at which they | shall elect a chair, vice-chair and secretary and assign their | duties and duties to other members as appropriate.__Meetings must | be open to the public and allow for public participation.__Notice | of all meetings must be mailed at least 10 days before each | meeting to those interested parties who have requested notice.__ | The public must be notified by a newspaper of general circulation | at least 14 days before all meetings. |
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| | Sec. 2. Staggered terms. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, | Title 12, section 8876-B, subsection 3, members of the Maine | Forest Certification Council serve staggered 3-year terms. In | order to implement the staggering of terms, the Governor, the | President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of | Representatives shall each initially appoint one member for a 2- | year term, 2 members for 3-year terms and one member for a 4-year | term. Thereafter, all members, whether newly appointed or | renewed, are appointed for a term of 3 years. |
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| | This bill establishes the Maine Forest Certification Council, | consisting of members appointed by the Governor, the President of | the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to | review and report upon the value of the use of 3rd-party | certification in achieving forest sustainability as established | by the Maine Council on Sustainable Forest Management. The | council in conducting its review and generating its report must | rely solely upon 3rd-party certification audits and other | existing and available information. The council has no authority | to establish sustainability standards of its own. Instead, it | must rely exclusively on the goals, criteria and standards | previously established by the Maine Council on Sustainable Forest | Management. The council must report its findings annually to the | Governor and to the Legislature. |
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