2022 Priority Bills

PFAS Bills:

LD 1911 “An Act To Prohibit the Contamination of Clean Soils with So-called Forever Chemicals.” This bill would ban the spreading of sludge and sludge-derived compost on farmland that contributes to PFAS contamination. It would also require that wastewater treatment facilities and other industry that discharge effluent into Maine’s waterways test that effluent for PFAS and report it to the Maine DEP.

LD 1875 “An Act To Address Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Pollution from State-owned Solid Waste Disposal Facilities.” This bill sets up a study to look at the best way to treat landfill leachate for PFAS and requires a report back to the Legislature next session.

LD 2013 “An Act Relating to Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Contamination in the State.” This farmer funding bill provides $100M for PFAS impacted farmers for income replacement, buybacks, medical monitoring, and research.

LD 2019 “An Act To Require the Registration of Adjuvants in the State and To Regulate the Distribution of Pesticides with Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances.” This bill bans the use of PFAS in pesticides. Defend Our Health testified neither for nor against and and asked the committee to change the definition of PFAS as it relates to this bill.

LD 2020 “An Act To Implement Recommendations Regarding the Regulation of Firefighting or Fire-suppressing Foams to Which Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Have Been Intentionally Added.” This bill adds an exemption for marine use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam as required by DOD. Defend Our Health testified neither for nor against and we called on them to add language banning incineration of AFFF as a method of disposal.

Well Water Abatement Program:

LD 1891 “An Act To Continue Supporting Safe Drinking Water for Maine Families.” This bill provides $1M to the Maine Housing well water abatement program to help low-income families pay for remediation if their wells test high for contaminants. 

Tribal Bills:

LD 1626 “An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Implementing Act.” This bill would place the tribes in Maine on similar and equal footing to the other 570 federally recognized tribes in 49 other states. It would amend the Maine Implementing Act to restore the inherent right of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Nation, and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians to self-govern within their respective territories in accordance with the same federal laws that generally govern tribal lands elsewhere in the United States.

LD 906 “An Act To Provide Passamaquoddy Tribal Members Access to Clean Drinking Water.” LD 906 would correct several injustices around the issue of safe drinking water for the Passamaquoddy.

LD 585 “An Act To Restore to the Penobscot Nation and Passamaquoddy Tribe the Authority To Exercise Jurisdiction under the Federal Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010.”