Signed by Governor Janet Mills

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes procedures and requirements to prevent PFAS contamination in state waters and soil.

Highlights:

• Requires the Department of Environmental Protection to develop and implement a plan to prohibit the land application of septage in the State (Sec. 10, Pg. 3).

• Authorizes the Department to require individuals licensed to discharge wastewater into groundwater to sample the wastewater for PFAS (or forever chemicals) (Sec. 1, Pg. 1).

• Prohibits the Department from issuing a new license or permit that authorizes a person to apply or spread septage (from a septic tank) anywhere in the state (Sec. 2, Pg. 1).

• Prohibits a person authorized by the Department to spread septage in a certain location from continuing to do so in that location if informed by the Department that PFAS have been detected and that there is external risk (Sec. 2, Pg. 1).

• Prohibits any person from applying or spreading any of the following substances on any land in the state (Sec. 5, Pg. 2):

• Sludge generated from a municipal, commercial, or industrial wastewater treatment plant;

• Compost materials that include septage or sludge from the above facilities in its production; or

• Any other produced that is intended for use as a fertilizer, mulch, or other similar agricultural purpose that is derived from or contains septage or sludge from the above facilities.

• Prohibits any person from selling or distributing in the State compost containing sludge or septage, or any other similar agricultural product, such as fertilizer and mulch, that contains sludge or septage (Sec. 5, Pg. 2).

• Specifies that the above two provisions do not apply to the disposal of the prohibited materials at a solid waste landfill, or the application, sale, or distribution of compost and other similar agricultural products that contain residuals as a result of food processing and other authorized production activities, so long as the products are not mixed with the prohibited sludge, sewage, septage, or sanitary wastewater (Sec. 5, Pg. 2).

• Repeals existing laws regarding the handling of and management of septage in the state (Secs. 3, 4, 7, & 9).

• Appropriates $3,599,500 away from the Department of Environmental Protection as a result of the repeal of septage handling (Sec. 11, Pgs. 3 & 4).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote on a motion to adopt an "ought to pass as amended" report for a bill that establishes procedures and requirements to prevent PFAS contamination in state waters and soil.

Highlights:

• Requires the Department of Environmental Protection to develop and implement a plan to prohibit the land application of septage in the State (Sec. 10, Pg. 3).

• Authorizes the Department to require individuals licensed to discharge wastewater into groundwater to sample the wastewater for PFAS (or forever chemicals) (Sec. 1, Pg. 1).

• Prohibits the Department from issuing a new license or permit that authorizes a person to apply or spread septage (from a septic tank) anywhere in the state (Sec. 2, Pg. 1).

• Prohibits a person authorized by the Department to spread septage in a certain location from continuing to do so in that location if informed by the Department that PFAS have been detected and that there is external risk (Sec. 2, Pg. 1).

• Prohibits any person from applying or spreading any of the following substances on any land in the state (Sec. 5, Pg. 2):

• Sludge generated from a municipal, commercial, or industrial wastewater treatment plant;

• Compost materials that include septage or sludge from the above facilities in its production; or

• Any other produced that is intended for use as a fertilizer, mulch, or other similar agricultural purpose that is derived from or contains septage or sludge from the above facilities.

• Prohibits any person from selling or distributing in the State compost containing sludge or septage, or any other similar agricultural product, such as fertilizer and mulch, that contains sludge or septage (Sec. 5, Pg. 2).

• Specifies that the above two provisions do not apply to the disposal of the prohibited materials at a solid waste landfill, or the application, sale, or distribution of compost and other similar agricultural products that contain residuals as a result of food processing and other authorized production activities, so long as the products are not mixed with the prohibited sludge, sewage, septage, or sanitary wastewater (Sec. 5, Pg. 2).

• Repeals existing laws regarding the handling of and management of septage in the state (Secs. 3, 4, 7, & 9).

• Appropriates $3,599,500 away from the Department of Environmental Protection as a result of the repeal of septage handling (Sec. 11, Pgs. 3 & 4).

Full Bill Text