Big Environmental Achievements Mark the Remarkables of the Legislative Session

Posted on April 26, 2022By NRCM

Strong conservation ethic is highlighted by bipartisan votes on many bills

News release from NRCM

April 26, 2022 (Augusta ME) According to an analysis by Natural Resources Council of Maine, the Maine Legislature made significant progress on a wide range of environmental issues that will benefit Mainers throughout the state.

NRCM praised Governor Janet Mills, lawmakers, for coming together to enact a wide variety of new laws that will further improve the health of Maines people, environment, and communities. These laws include new laws to protect hundreds miles of Maine rivers, preserve biodiversity by expanding Maines ecological reserve, curb out-of state waste at the Juniper Ridge Landfill and mitigate the impacts of PFAS (forever chemical) contamination.

The strong bipartisan support for several environmental priority clearly reflects the strong conservation ethic that Maineans have, regardless where they live. This was said Pete Didisheim, NRCMs advocacy director.Despite the brief legislative session, lawmakers still produced a long list of accomplishments that will help protect Maine’s land and waterways, address climate changes, and reduce pollution.

These new laws, taken together, build on the long history of bipartisan action by Maine legislators, on behalf Maine people, in order to protect the environment that is so crucial for our economy, and quality of life.

Action on Climate and Clean Energy

• A new utility accountability law was passed. It requires the Public Utilities Commission to create a scorecard that measures the performance of Maine’s electric utilities. There are mandatory penalties for poor performance, and divestiture is the final penalty for consistently failing.

• A bill was passed to require that the PUC lead a Grid planningProcess to modernize Maine’s electrical grid for clean and efficient energy storage and electrification of transport and heating. The plan is tied to Maine’s climate goals and Climate Action Plan.

• Approved $2.09 Million in funding for grants to schools districts to create and implement teacher professional development, teacher training, and pilot programs to interdisciplinary climate education. The bill also authorizes funding for these purposes from private and public sources.

• Efficiency Maine Trust has been allocated $3.5 million for the state’s electric vehicle (EV) incentive programs.

• The goal is for 50% of new light-duty vehicles that are purchased in the States by 2025 to be plug-in hybrids, or zero-emission vehicles. 100% by 2030. The goal is to have 100% plug-in hybrid light-duty vehicles purchased by county and municipal governments by 2035.

• Implemented the recommendations of a state agency report on sea-level rising, including consideration in regulations of natural resource agencies of the effects of science-based projections of at most 1.5 feet sea-level increase by 2050 and at least 4 feet sea-level rose by 2100.

• Set a goal for Maine to achieve carbon neutrality by January 1, 2045. Net greenhouse gas emissions should not exceed the amount of carbon dioxide stored by Maine’s forests.

• Approved $231 310 to support a Maine Climate Corps Program (and Maine Service Fellows Program), to support local projects that address climate mitigation and resilience.

• Funding was provided for a senior planner position and three forester positions at Maine Forest Service to offer training and education to landowners about climate-friendly forest management.

Action on Waste and Forever Chemicals

• Closed loophole in Maine lawOther states have been able to dump hundreds of thousands (or more) of tons of construction and demolition waste (CDD) at Maine’s Juniper Ridge Landfill. The bill requires greater recycling to be part of the processing in-state-generated CDD. It also requires that any future expansions of solid waste facilities are not inconsistent with ensuring environmental justice in the community where they are proposed.

• $60 million approved for a Fund to Address PFAS Contamination. This fund will address economic and public health effects caused by the land spreading of PFAS-contaminated sludge.

• It is prohibited to spread sludge or other compost material from any municipal or commercial wastewater treatment plant or septage system.

• A report was required on how to treat leachate from the State-owned Juniper Ridge or Dolby Landfills in order to reduce the concentrations of PFAS.

• Banned the distribution or sale of pesticides to whom PFAS chemicals were added.

• Allocated $3.2million to the Department of Environmental Protection for laboratory equipment that will increase the capacity to test samples and analyze PFAS.

• Allocated $3 Million to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry in order to clean up and mitigate PFAS contamination affecting agricultural production and the food supply, provide support to affected farmers, and support critical PFAS-related research.

• It is required that all plastic beverage containers sold in the State have a minimum of 25% post-consumer recycled content starting in 2026 and 30% beginning in 2031.

Action on Water and Land

• Language in the bill that would have prevented science-based river restoration projects was defeated. This includes selective removal of harmful dams.

• It gave the federal government primary regulatory authority and provided more control to the Passamaquoddy Tribe in Sipayik over clean drinking water.

• Expanded membership and purpose of the Interagency Task Force on Invasive Aquatic Plants, and Nuisance species to include identification and consideration of legislation to further address the threat to Maine’s lakes from invasive species. The Task Force will also produce a biennial report. The first report will be due January 15, 2023. The Task Force is required by law to include all stakeholders in the organization’s work.

• Protect public lands by requiring BPL adopt rules to establish an objective evaluation process to determine if a proposed activity would reduce the land or substantially alter its uses. This would require approval from both the Maine House of Representatives and the Maine Senate.

• To assist municipalities in the rehabilitation of abandoned, blighted, and environmentally dangerous properties, the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority was created. It is intended to help them return these properties to productive use.

Action for Affordable Housing and Equity

• Housing Opportunity Program was established Modernizing Maine’s housing policies and zoning lawsTo increase density and accessibility to housing, while reducing vehicle emissions-already the largest source for greenhouse gas pollution in Maine –

• Increased access to the PUCs proceedings, with funding to diversify intervenors. DEP must develop rules to ensure that people in frontline communities and environmental justice populations have fair and equitable access.

Many of the bills that were enacted during the 2022 legislative session were priorities for Maines active network. This includes groups that comprise the Maine Network of Non-Profit Public Health, Environmental, and Social Service Organizations. Environmental Priorities Coalition.

We are grateful that lawmakers listened to the thousands Mainers, who demanded a cleaner environment.