April 13, 2022

WEEKLY NOTICES OF STATE RULEMAKING
Public Input for Proposed and Adopted Rules

Notices are published each Wednesday to alert the public regarding state agency rulemaking. 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 rulemaking if the petition is signed by 150 or more registered voters, and may begin rulemaking 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 rulemaking liaisons, who are single points of contact for each agency.

PROPOSALS

AGENCY: 09-137 – Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IFW)
CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE: Ch. 16, Hunting
TYPE OF RULE: Routine Technical
PROPOSED RULE NUMBER: 2022-P047
BRIEF SUMMARY: The Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is proposing several changes to ch. 16 rules which will affect the antlerless deer permit system. These rules, if adopted, will work in conjunction with law changes from the 2nd regular session of the 130th Maine Legislature. The proposed rules include a change in reference from any-deer permits to antlerless deer permits, and these antlerless deer permits will allow hunters to take an additional antlerless deer in a designated Wildlife Management District (WMD) or portion of a WMD. The proposed rule will allow hunters to choose two preferred WMDs or portions of a WMD when applying for the lottery drawing. Lastly, the proposed rule will allow the Commissioner to designate which WMDs will allow hunters to take an antlerless deer without a permit during the youth day and regular archery deer hunting seasons. Youth hunters on youth day will be able to take an antlerless deer without a permit statewide, and archery hunters during the regular archery season will be able to take an antlerless deer without a permit in WMDs 12, 13, 15-18, 20-26, and 29 for the 2022 hunting season. A complete copy of the proposed rule may be requested from the agency contact person.
PUBLIC HEARING: Monday, May 2, 2022 @ 4:00 p.m. – Camden National Bank Ice Vault, 203 Whitten Road, Hallowell, ME
COMMENT DEADLINE: May 12, 2022
CONTACT PERSON FOR THIS FILING / SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT INFORMATION / IFW RULEMAKING LIAISON: Becky Orff, Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, 41 State House Station - 353 Water Street, Augusta, ME 04333. Telephone: (207) 287-5202. Email: Becky.Orff@Maine.gov.
IMPACT ON MUNICIPALITIES OR COUNTIES: No fiscal impact is anticipated.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY FOR THIS RULE: 12 MRS §§ 10104, 11152
SUBSTANTIVE STATE OR FEDERAL LAW BEING IMPLEMENTED (if different):
IFW WEBSITE: https://www.maine.gov/ifw/.

ADOPTIONS: none this week