All State Policies: Maine
Who’s Responsible?
Below are short descriptions of relevant state agencies/departments by policy topic, followed by more information on specific policies.
Drinking Water: Maine Division of Environmental and Community Health’s Drinking Water Program (DWP) provides education and technical and financial assistance. The agency is responsible for enforcing US EPA Federal Safe Drinking Water Act Regulations along with Maine drinking water laws and regulations. DWP works with over 1,900 public water systems in the state. More than half of households in Maine get drinking water from private, residential wells. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection implements water quality programs under the Clean Water Act and state law.
Policies
Drinking Water
An Act to Stop Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Pollution (HP 113-LD 1503)
07/15/2021
This Act is the first in the nation to comprehensively ban products containing PFAS.
Beginning January 1, 2023, this Act established requirements for manufacturers who “intentionally” add PFAS to their products to report to the Department of Environmental Protection:
- “A brief description of the product
- The purpose for which PFAS are used in the product, including in any product
components; - The amount of each of the PFAS, identified by its chemical abstracts service
registry number, in the product, reported as an exact quantity determined using
commercially available analytical methods or as falling within a range approved
for reporting purposes by the department; - The name and address of the manufacturer and… [of] a contact person for the manufacturer.”
The Act does enable manufactures to request waivers of notification and/or let the department create a shared system of reporting with other states.
Prohibition on sale of products containing intentionally added PFAS
“Effective January 1, 2023, a person may not sell, offer for sale or distribute for sale
in this State a carpet or rug that contains intentionally added PFAS. This prohibition
does not apply to the sale or resale of a used carpet or rug.
“Effective January 1, 2023, a person may not sell, offer for sale or distribute for sale
in this State a fabric treatment that contains intentionally added PFAS. This prohibition
does not apply to the sale or resale of a used fabric treatment.”
“Effective January 1, 2030, a person may not sell, offer for sale or distribute for sale
in this State any product that contains intentionally added PFAS, unless the department
has determined by rule that the use of PFAS in the product is a currently unavoidable
use. The department may specify specific products or product categories in which it
has determined the use of PFAS is a currently unavoidable use. This prohibition does
not apply to the sale or resale of used products.”
PFAS Source Reduction Program
“To the extent funds are available and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, the department shall develop and implement a program to reduce the presence of PFAS in discharges to air, water and land by encouraging the use of safer alternatives and the proper management of materials containing PFAS.”
To Protect Consumers of Public Drinking Water by Establishing Maximum Contaminant Levels for Certain Substances and Contaminants (S.P. 64-L.D. 129)
06/21/2021
Requires all community water systems and nontransient, noncommunity water systems to conduct monitoring for the level of all regulated PFAS contaminants and for additional PFAS that are listed by the US EPA by December 31, 2022. If monitoring reveals that PFAS (individually or combined) are above 20 nanogram per liter, the water system will continue to monitor on a quarterly basis until the PFAS contaminants are mitigated. The Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for ensuring that water systems inform the public and adopt treatment and other measures to reduce contamination. On or before June 1, 2024, the department shall file a final rule with the Secretary of State regarding the regulation of regulated PFAS contaminants, establishing Maximum Contaminant Levels. An interim standard of 20 parts per trillion (PPT) for six PFAS (alone or in combination) is immediately in effect.
Environmental Justice
Healthy Rivers
An Act To Support and Improve Municipal Recycling Programs and Save Taxpayer Money (Legislative Document 1541, H.P. 1146)
12/31/2023
The legislation establishes a stewardship program where producers pay into a fund based on packaging material weight. They can offset payments by implementing independent recycling programs. The stewardship organization uses these payments to reimburse municipalities and improve recycling outcomes.
