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January 27, 2010

Lawmakers oppose natural resources plan

By The Mainebiz News Staff

Legislators in three committees are opposing Gov. John Baldacci's proposal to merge some operations of the state's four natural resource agencies to help balance the budget.

The Marine Resources, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry committees all rejected combining functions of the state's natural resource agencies, according to the Kennebec Journal. Baldacci proposed merging some functions of the Conservation, Inland Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources agencies to shave $1.25 million from the state's $438 million budget gap.

But lawmakers in the three committees told the appropriations committee that merging some operations would leave the state with less expertise to handle the state's farming, hunting and fishing industries. The appropriations committee asked the natural resources committees to come up with alternatives for saving the $1.25 million.

The proposal has already been criticized by industry representatives, and a similar proposal floated last year that would have merged the departments to create one natural resources "superagency" and save $1.5 million annually was ultimately defeated.

Go to the article from the Kennebec Journal >>

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