Insect & Disease Conditions Update

Comment Period Open for Proposed Changes to the Maine Hemlock Woolly Adelgid and Emerald Ash Borer Quarantines

Revisions are planned for the hemlock woolly adelgid and the emerald ash borer quarantines under the Maine Bureau of Agriculture rules (Chapters 266 and 275).  The proposal notice is posted at the Secretary of State’s Weekly Public Notices site under January 22.  

The proposed changes are due to expansions of the known distributions of the invasive insects targeted by the rules.  In the case of the hemlock woolly adelgid, an expansion of the area under regulation along the coast through Hancock county is proposed.  In the case of the emerald ash borer, addition of Cumberland County and the five southernmost towns of Oxford County is proposed. See the maps below.  You can find high-resolution PDF’s of these maps and text of the proposed rules online.

January 2020 Proposed Changes to Maine’s Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Quarantine

January 2020 Proposed Changes to Maine’s Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine

Public feedback on the proposals is encouraged. 

Written comments must be submitted by 5:00 pm February 28, 2020 to:

Gary Fish
Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
28 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0028

or by email gary.fish@maine.gov or fax (207) 287-5576

Any comments considered in revision of the rules must be submitted in writing to Gary.  However, please feel free to reach out with questions to:

Gary Fish, State Horticulturist, gary.fish@maine.gov (207) 287-7545

or Allison Kanoti, State Entomologist, allison.m.kanoti@maine.gov, (207) 827-1813