Section 026-22-6 - EMERGENCIESA. In the event that severe pest or weather conditions threaten to cause a significant natural resource and/or economic loss, as determined by the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, the requirements contained in Section 3 of this Chapter shall be waived, subject to the following conditions: I. The severe pest and/or weather conditions must necessitate immediate wide-scale aerial application of pesticides.II. The immediate need for aerial pesticide application does not provide sufficient time to complete the requirements of Section 3 of this Chapter,III. Prior to any aerial application, the Commissioner shall issue a press release notifying residents of affected regions about the emergency, the likelihood of aerial application in the affected regions and the approximate dates that the emergency may continue.IV. The Commissioner, in consultation with the Board's staff, shall specify the requirements in Section 3 that will be waived. V. Land managers and aerial applicators shall make good faith efforts to comply with the intent of Section 3 and minimize off-target drift to Sensitive Areas.B. When the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends control of disease vectors, government sponsored vector control programs are exempt from Sections 2C, 2D, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E and 4 of this chapter, provided that reasonable efforts are made to avoid spraying non-target areas. June 12, 2009 amendments become effective on January 1, 2010.
01- 026 C.M.R. ch. 22, § 6