| UPDATES & NEWS |
| April 19, 2001 At the end of the work session on LD 1179, there was a divided vote on the bill. This means there will be divided report, and the bill will go to the full legislature. Strangely, there was no DEP representative at the work session of the Marine Resources Committee, even though citizens had requested (twice) that DEP send a representive to testify about the permitting requirements for rockweed cutting under NRPA. ************************************************* March 22, 2001: from the Bangor Daily News. Maine case law supports private ownership of rockweed: ************************************************* "DMR is the rulemaking agency when it comes to commercial seaweed harvesting, but the department�s rules have no effect on the underlying legal issue of private property, Pidot said. And there is Maine case law dating to the mid-1800s suggesting that seaweed harvesting may not be permitted under Massachusetts colonial ordinance that applies to the intertidal zone, Pidot said." FULL ARTICLE IN THE BANGOR DAILY NEWS *************************************************************** March 22, 2001: 1 pm, Room 437 of the State House. Hearing on LD 1179 ************************************************ March 15, 2001: The Quoddy Regional Land Trust votes to support part of LD 1179 and oppose part of LD 1179. Read their statement. *********************************************** March 14, 2001: Whiting Community Building. Hearing on proposed local ordinance which protects intertidal plants from commercial harvest without permission of the owner. ************************************************ Feb. 20: Rep. Fuller has withdrawn LD 553. The Marine Resources Committee will still vote "ought to pass" or "ought not to pass" on LD 553. There is no hearing yet scheduled. ************************************************* Check hearing dates by clicking HERE for a list of committees, then click on "Marine Resources". |