March 28, 2012

WEEKLY NOTICES OF STATE RULE-MAKING
Public Input for Proposed and Adopted Rules

Notices are published each Wednesday to alert the public regarding state agency rule-making. You may obtain a copy of any rule by notifying the agency contact person. You may also comment on the rule, and/or attend the public hearing. If no hearing is scheduled, you may request one -- the agency may then schedule a hearing, and must do so if 5 or more persons request it. If you are disabled or need special services to attend a hearing, please notify the agency contact person at least 7 days prior to it. Petitions: you can petition an agency to adopt, amend, or repeal any rule; the agency must provide you with petition forms, and must respond to your petition within 60 days. The agency must enter rule-making if the petition is signed by 150 or more registered voters, and may begin rule-making if there are fewer. You can also petition the Legislature to review a rule; the Executive Director of the Legislative Council (115 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333, phone 207/287-1615) will provide you with the necessary petition forms. The appropriate legislative committee will review a rule upon receipt of a petition from 100 or more registered voters, or from "...any person who may be directly, substantially and adversely affected by the application of a rule..." (Title 5 Section 11112). World-Wide Web: Copies of the weekly notices and the full texts of adopted rule chapters may be found on the internet at: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules. There is also a list of rule-making liaisons, who are single points of contact for each agency.


PROPOSALS: no proposals this week



ADOPTIONS



AGENCY: 09-137 – Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IF&W)
CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE: Ch. 1, Open Water and Ice Fishing Regulations
ADOPTED RULE NUMBER: 2012-77
CONCISE SUMMARY: The Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has adopted rules pertaining to open water and ice fishing. This body of rules is printed in its entirety in the Open Water & Ice Fishing Laws and Rules booklet (April 1, 2012 - March 31, 2013) and will be available from the Department as well as license agents.
EFFECTIVE DATE: April 1, 2012
AGENCY CONTACT PERSON: Becky Orff, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 284 State Street, 41 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333. Telephone: (207) 287-5202. E-mail: Becky.Orff@Maine.gov .
WEBSITE: http://www.maine.gov/ifw/



AGENCY: 04-058 � Department of Conservation (DOC), Maine Forest Service
CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE: Ch. 24, Boundary Paint Marking Standards
ADOPTED RULE NUMBER: 2012-78
CONCISE SUMMARY: This rule establishes the procedures for lawfully posting property that access is prohibited without permission of the landowner or the landowner's agent by the use of paint markings. The rule establishes requirements for the color and type of paint that may be used to indicate that access to property is prohibited without permission of the landowner or the landowner’s agent.
EFFECTIVE DATE: April 9, 2012
AGENCY CONTACT PERSON: Donald J. Mansius, Maine Forest Service, 22 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0022. Telephone: (207) 287-4906. E-mail: Donald.J.Mansius@Maine.gov .
WEBSITE: http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/index.shtml .
DOC RULE-MAKING LIAISON: Dan.Burke@Maine.gov .



AGENCY: 95-648 - Efficiency Maine Trust
CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE: Ch. 103, Renewable Resource Fund
ADOPTED RULE NUMBER: 2012-79
CONCISE SUMMARY: The Renewable Resource Fund provides grants and rebates for the installation of cost effective energy technology and the support of R&D efforts. For purposes of implementing the Fund, this rule provides selection criteria for the competitive bid process for renewable energy research and development projects by Maine educational institutions; selection criteria for the bid process for community demonstration projects is also included in this rule requiring use of cost-effectiveness and other factors in selecting projects to fund. Additionally this rule designates qualification criteria for rebates of renewable energy technologies including means of determining cost-effectiveness and meeting quality assurance requirements.
EFFECTIVE DATE: March 27, 2012
AGENCY CONTACT PERSON: Dana Fischer, Efficiency Maine Trust, 151 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-6262. Telephone: (207) 650-8774. E-mail: Dana.Fischer@EfficiencyMaine.com .
WEBSITE: http://www.efficiencymaine.com/ .
RULE-MAKING LIAISON: Peter.Roehrig@EfficiencyMaine.com .



AGENCY: 05-071 - Department of Education (DOE)
CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE: Ch. 122, Grant Application and Award Procedure: Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services
ADOPTED RULE NUMBER: 2012-80
CONCISE SUMMARY: The Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services (“the Fund”) was created to assist in financing the cost of local and regional initiatives to improve educational opportunity and student achievement through more efficient delivery of educational services. 20-A MRSA sub-section 2651(1). To this end, the Department of Education is required to award grants to school administrative units, municipalities, counties and groups of two or more such entities to fund the costs of implementing changes in governance, administrative structures or policies that result in changes that improve educational opportunity and student achievement.
The grants must be awarded on a competitive basis, in accordance with procedures and criteria set forth in rules adopted by the Department; and the rules must give priority to projects that meet certain conditions. 20-A MRSA sub-section 2651(3).
The grants must be used to implement changes that will be sustained by the grantee without the need for additional grants from the Fund or other sources. 20-A MRSA sub-section 2651(2).
EFFECTIVE DATE: April 25, 2012
AGENCY CONTACT PERSON: Susan Corrente, Department of Education, 23 State House Station (5th Floor, Cross State Office Building), Augusta, Maine 04333. Telephone: (207) 624-6668. E-mail: Susan.Corrente@Maine.gov .
WEBSITE: http://www.maine.gov/doe/ .
DOE RULE-MAKING LIAISON: Greg.Scott@Maine.gov .