By: ADAM JENSEN

Associated Press

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. — The reduction of forest fuels in Lake Tahoe Basin has reached unprecedented levels since 2007’s Angora fire. But the increased volume has caused concern among some residents who feel the efforts may diminish the mountain lifestyle that brought them to the woods….

Land managers, some residents, contend the…tree thinning is necessary to reduce…susceptibility to catastrophic wildfire.

California Tahoe Conservancy Deputy Director Ray Lacey…said the projects need time to achieve their full potential.

Read the entire article in the Washington Examiner

AUGUSTA  — The Maine Senate is returning to the Statehouse to vote on nominees for judgeships, boards and commissions.

More than 70 of Gov. John Baldacci’s nominees are up for Senate confirmation votes on Wednesday.

Story in PPH

On June 8th, Voters will also be voting on Question 1 – the People’s Veto:

Question 1: is a People’s Veto of PL 2009, c. 382 “An Act To Implement Tax Relief and Tax Reform”)

“Do you want to reject the new law that lowers Maine’s income tax and replaces that revenue by making changes to the sales tax?”

CLICK HERE to Read the Changes to the tax law

CLICK HERE for the website of those OPPOSED to the Veto (No on 1)

CLICK HERE for the website from those IN FAVOR of the Veto (YES on 1)

In a nutshell, the law is a tax-shift increasing the number of items subject to sales tax and increasing the sales tax rate on meals & lodging.  In exchange the income tax rate for residents would decrease from 8.5% to 6.5%, with a surcharge of an additional .35% on taxable income in excess of $250,000.

Editors Note: Personally, I’m not comfortable with what is in the bill as passed, I see too many ways the sales taxes could be revisited and increased later.  I also am uncomfortable with the “progressive nature” of this tax plan.  We should be looking for real tax  reductions (and reduced spending) not a tax shift that in reality will be difficult to quantify and increase the cost of every day items. As a result I’ll be voting Yes to veto the bill. - M.A.B.

MONTPELIER, Vt. – The Vermont Senate has approved a redesign of a state program that taxes farm and forest land at a lower rate than residential and commercial property, sharply increasing the penalty for withdrawing property from the program.

Source: Business Week

By Beth Daley, Globe Staff | April 22, 2010

Massachusetts is more than quadrupling the amount of forested state land that is off-limits to commercial logging and will sharply limit the use of clear-cutting, according to a plan announced yesterday.

The new policy, the most significant change in state forest management in decades, reflects the growing use of public land in Western Massachusetts for recreation, and was adopted after an outcry about logging practices on some of those properties.

Click Here to read the entire article on Boston.com

UPDATE: 4/14/2010:  Governor Baldacci signed LD 1525 on Monday 4/12/2010.  The new LAW will take effect 90 days following the final adjournment of the legislature  which was also April 12, 2010. - M.A.B.

Updated to include summary – MAB

LD 1545 – An Act To Protect Maine Workers passed both the House and Senate yesterday (April 7th) and are now awaiting the Governor’s signature.

The controlling Amendment is Senate Amendment “A” to Committee Amendment “A”

- This amendment adds language to the laws governing proof of equipment ownership for employers using foreign laborers requiring that any lease used to demonstrate ownership must be a bona fide lease and setting forth some of the standards for determining whether a lease is bona fide.

- The amendment requires employers of bond workers to notify the Department of Labor of the name and location of bond workers performing logging work in the State.

- The amendment requires employers seeking bond workers to form and participate in a recruitment clearinghouse that assists in evaluating and referring potential logging occupation workers. The Department of Labor will work with the clearinghouse to ensure understanding of, and compliance with, recruitment and hiring requirements under federal regulations and state law.

- The amendment requires the Department of Labor to maintain a list of contractors who are seeking to hire bond workers, and to require landowners to hire contractors from that list. Contractors who violate federal regulations or state law relating to bond workers must be removed from the list. A landowner who enters into or maintains a contract with an entity that is not on the list is subject to a fine of up to $50,000.

- The amendment establishes the Foreign Labor Certification Process Fund and adds an appropriations and allocations section.

Click Here to Read the Bill and both the Committee and Senate Amendments

LD 1552 was also recalled from the Governor and indefinitely postponed so that bill is now dead.

5:30 Update: Senate is still in session…they have yet to take up LD 1545 – which is item 1 of  unfinished business basis. - MAB

Today is the last day for the governor to sign LD1552 which passed both the House and Senate.  There are some indications he may veto the bill because of concerns about the tree growth provisions.  The Governor prefers to go toward more of a Certified or Authorized list approach with contractors who fail to employ loggers from the list face similar monetary penalties, rather than the the penalty for use of bonds be removal from tree growth.

As noted below, LD 1545 – Senator Jackson’s bill remains tabled but changes are in the works to try and incorporate some of the governor’s wishes.

Senate is in recess until 1:30 PM today.

4/6 Update – still tabled, item is on the Senate calendar for 4/7 – Unfinished business.

The Senate reconvenes Tuesday at 10:00 AM. – MAB

1:50 PM Update: Senate has adjourned for the day. LD 1545 was not taken up and is expected to be on the calendar Monday under unfinished business.  The Senate reconvenes Monday at 9:00 AM. – MAB

Friday 4/2/2010 Update: Bill was tabled Wednesday after the first reading.  It is scheduled to be taken up under Orders of the Day – item 5 (unfinished business) on Friday.

LD 1545 – The second half of the Bonded Labor Legislation is on the Senate Calendar for today.

SUMMARY

This bill prohibits an employer from employing foreign laborers for 5 years if the employer violates the required proof of equipment ownership or foreign labor certification laws.

Majority of the Committee

Reported that the same Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee Amendment “A” (S-495).

Signed:

Senators:

JACKSON of Aroostook
GERZOFSKY of Cumberland

Representatives:

CLARK of Millinocket
BLODGETT of Augusta
TUTTLE of Sanford
BUTTERFIELD of Bangor
GILBERT of Jay
DRISCOLL of Westbrook

The Minority of the same Committee on the same subject reported that the same Ought To Pass as Amended by Committee Amendment “B” (S-496).

Signed:

Senator:

MILLS of Somerset

Representatives:

THIBODEAU of Winterport
HAMPER of Oxford
CUSHING of Hampden
BICKFORD of Auburn

CLICK HERE for Senate Audio

CLICK HERE to read the Bill (Click the Amendments above to read the Amendments to the original bill)

Click Here to find a list of Senators

Click Here for an Email List

AUGUSTA, Maine—Gov. John Baldacci has signed into law a bill barring importation of firewood into Maine from other states.

The purpose of the ban is to protect Maine’s hardwood trees from the spread of the Asian longhorned beetle and the emerald ash borer.

Source: Boston.com Story