AUGUSTA – State Sen. Bruce Bryant, D-Oxford, has been appointed chairman of the Commission to Study the Unorganized Territories.

The 17-member commission will review fire protection, planning, permitting and related land-use services, education and other issues as they affect the state’s unorganized territories, according to a news release issued by Bryant’s office.

Senate President Beth Edmonds said that because Bryant represented a district with so many unorganized territories, he would have a good understanding of the issues facing the area.

According to the Maine Register, Oxford County contains 19 unorganized territories, along with its two plantations, and 34 towns. Bryant represents all of the unorganized townships, both plantations, and 25 of the towns, along with the Franklin County town of Jay.

The state has more than 420 unorganized townships.

Bryant stated in the release that land use in the unorganized territories has changed considerably over the years, with little attention paid to the policies that impact the townships.

“Rules and regulations that may have worked in the past may not work today or in the future,” he said.

The report is expected to be presented to the Legislature by July 1, 2006.

The commission membership is made up of six legislators, a county official, landowners of varying sizes of parcels in the unorganized territories, various state department commissioners or directors and a representative from county government.