Amend the amendment in section 5 in subsection 1 in the 3rd line (page 1, line 24 in amendment) by striking out the following: "wildlife and" and inserting the following: 'wildlife or'
Amend the amendment in section 5 in subsection 1 in the 6th line (page 1, line 27 in amendment) by striking out the following: "this Act" and inserting the following: 'Public Law 2005, chapter 462, Part B, section 6'
Amend the amendment in section 5 by inserting after subsection 1 the following:
‘2. The Department of Conservation and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shall take a proactive approach to pursuing land conservation projects that include significant wildlife habitat conservation, including conservation of priority deer wintering areas. Priority deer wintering areas are of at least 500 acres or contiguous with existing conservation land so that the combined acreage constitutes at least 500 acres, have been historically used by deer at some point since 1950 and are capable of providing shelter for deer on the effective date of this Act or within 20 years. The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shall include in conservation negotiations under this section provisions for the appropriate management of priority deer wintering areas. Land and interest in land purchased by the State that contains wildlife or fish habitat must be managed by the Department of Conservation using protocol provided by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and land and interest in land that is subject to a conservation easement and that contains wildlife or fish habitat must be managed using protocol provided by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.’
Amend the amendment in section 6 in that part designated "CONSERVATION, DEPARTMENT OF" in the first occurrence of that part relating to "Land for Maine's Future Board" in the 2nd line (page 2, line 30 in amendment) by striking out the following: "wildlife and" and inserting the following: 'wildlife or'
Amend the amendment on page 2 by amending the question in the 3rd line (page 2, line 39 in amendment) by striking out the following: "wildlife and" and inserting the following: 'wildlife or'
summary
This amendment requires the Department of Conservation and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to take a proactive approach to pursuing land conservation projects that include significant wildlife habitat conservation, including conservation of priority deer wintering areas. It includes a description of priority deer wintering areas and provisions regarding the management of areas that contain wildlife or fish habitat. It includes a reference to Public Law 2005, chapter 462, Part B, section 6 regarding the process and selection criteria for the acquisition of working waterfront properties. It clarifies that the proceeds of the bonds for the Land for Maine's Future Board may be expended by the Department of Conservation for the acquisition of wildlife or fish habitat.