Maine § 418. - Log driving and storage

§ 418.. Log driving and storage

1.  Prohibitions.  A person, firm, corporation or other legal entity may not place logs or pulpwood:

A. Into the inland waters of the State for the purpose of driving the logs or pulpwood to pulp mills, lumber mills or any other destination, except to transport logs or pulpwood from islands to the mainland;   [PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. W, §5 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).]

B. On the ice of any inland waters of the State, except to transport logs or pulpwood from islands to the mainland; or   [PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. W, §5 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).]

C. Into the inland waters of the State for the purpose of storage or curing the logs or pulpwood, or for other purposes incidental to the processing of forest products, or to transport logs or pulpwood from islands to the mainland, without a permit from the department as described in subsection 2.   [PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. W, §5 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).]

2.  Storage; permit.  Whoever proposes to use the inland waters of this State for the storage or curing of logs or pulpwood, or for other purposes incidental to the processing of forest products, or to transport logs or pulpwood from islands to the mainland, shall apply to the department for a permit for that use. Applications for these permits must be in a form prescribed by the commissioner.

If the department finds, on the basis of the application, that the proposed use will not lower the existing quality or the classification, whichever is higher, of any waters, nor adversely affect the public rights of fishing and navigation therein, and that inability to conduct that use will impose undue economic hardship on the applicant, it shall grant the permit for a period not to exceed 5 years, with such terms and conditions as, in its judgment, may be necessary to protect the quality, standards and rights.  

In the event the department determines it necessary to solicit further evidence regarding the proposed use, it shall schedule a public hearing on the application.  

At that hearing the department shall solicit and receive testimony concerning the nature and extent of the proposed use and its impact on existing water quality, water classification standards and the public rights of fishing and navigation and the economic implications upon the applicant of the use. If, after hearing, the department determines that the proposed use will not lower the existing quality or the classification standards, whichever is higher, of any waters, nor adversely affect the public rights of fishing and navigation therein and that inability to conduct the use will impose undue economic hardship on the applicant, it shall grant the permit for a period not to exceed 5 years, with such terms and conditions as in its judgment may be necessary to protect the quality, standards and rights.  

3.  Exception.