‘Sec. 1. Study. Resolved: That, within existing resources, staff with expertise in planning within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry shall participate with the State's natural resources agency, other state agencies and interested parties as a work group to develop a plan to address high-priority recommendations provided in the report titled "People and Nature Adapting to a Changing Climate: Charting Maine's Course," submitted to the Joint Standing Committee on Natural Resources during the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature.
1. Duties; first meeting; membership; funding. The work group shall evaluate and prioritize actions that can help communities and businesses in the State adapt to climate change by identifying new opportunities and minimizing economic and environmental impacts. The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry shall invite to the initial meeting of the work group representatives of the University of Maine System, nonprofit organizations, business associations and municipalities and individuals and representatives of businesses with expertise and interest in climate change adaptation. Members of the work group shall coordinate efforts to secure funding from nongovernmental sources to assist with costs of the work group related to facilitation, analysis and report generation.
2. Agency participation. On the effective date of this resolve, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry shall provide to the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources the names of agency personnel who will participate in the work group.
3. Report; legislation. By March 15, 2014, the work group shall submit a preliminary report and, by January 15, 2015, the work group shall submit a final report, including any proposed implementing legislation, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over environmental and natural resources matters. The joint standing committee is authorized to report out a bill to the First Regular Session of the 127th Legislature.’