‘An Act To Establish Submission Requirements for Wind Energy through Rulemaking’
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3460 is enacted to read:
§ 3460. Rulemaking; submission requirements
The department shall by rule establish submission requirements for permit applications for wind energy development, including, but not limited to, expedited wind energy development.
Rules adopted under this section are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2. Submission requirements for wind energy developments. Until rules are adopted pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 3460, the Department of Environmental Protection may not include as part of submission requirements for permit applications for wind energy development, including, but not limited to, expedited wind energy development as defined in Title 35-A, section 3451, subsection 4, any requirements other than those specified in law or jointly specified by the Department of Environmental Protection and the former Maine Land Use Regulation Commission prior to September 2, 2008 in accordance with Public Law 2007, chapter 661, Part B, section 13.
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF
Land and Water Quality 0248
Initiative: Provides a one-time General Fund appropriation of $2,500 in fiscal year 2014-15 for rulemaking related to submission requirements for permit applications for wind energy development.
| GENERAL FUND | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
|
All Other
|
$0 | $2,500 |
 |
|
|
| GENERAL FUND TOTAL | $0 | $2,500 |
SUMMARY
This amendment is the majority report of the committee. It requires the Department of Environmental Protection to conduct routine technical rulemaking to establish the submission requirements for permit applications for wind energy developments. It directs the department to use the submission requirements that were established in accordance with Public Law 2007, chapter 661, Part B, section 13 until the rulemaking is completed. This amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)