DownloadStatus: Bill vetoed by governor; veto override successful.
Pollution from metallic mineral mining poses a significant threat to Maine’s waters and to the taxpayers who are frequently left paying the cleanup cost. After several years of rejecting too-weak mining rules, the legislature enacted LD 820, a strong set of regulations that will protect clean water and taxpayers from Continue...
Status: Bill vetoed by governor; veto override successful.
Flame-retardant chemicals used in upholstered furniture are linked to cancer, birth defects, and learning disabilities in children. While fighting fires, firefighters are exposed to these chemicals. Cancer is now the leading cause of death among firefighters. Scientists find that these chemicals do not even slow down fires. This bill passed Continue...
Status: Bill vetoed by governor; veto sustained.
The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) issued a rule, effective January 1, 2018, that will charge people for the solar they produce to power their own homes. The rule will require Central Maine Power (CMP) to install new meters on solar homes, which are to be paid for by all ratepayers Continue...
Status: Bill vetoed by governor; veto override successful.
Public Reserved Lands are managed for a variety of resources including outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat conservation, and commercial timber harvesting. In 2015, a study commission developed a set of recommendations for improving access, prioritizing recreation infrastructure projects, and clarifying that timber harvest revenue should be used by the Bureau of Continue...
Status: Bill vetoed by governor; veto override successful.
One in eight Maine drinking water wells contain hidden toxic chemicals like arsenic, which can elevate the risk of cancer and cause learning disabilities. Arsenic has no smell, taste, or color, and many Mainers do not know that they should test their wells for it. LD 454 will raise awareness Continue...
Status: Bill defeated
MUBEC is a minimum energy efficiency code required for towns with populations over 4,000; towns with less than 4,000 are exempt from the code. LD 1392 would have weakened the code by allowing any town to opt out, which would have resulted in the building of energy inefficient homes that Continue...
Status: Bill vetoed by governor; veto override successful.
Maine has one of the strongest bottle bills in the country, and as a result of LD 56, it is even stronger. On January 1, 2019, a deposit of five cents will be charged for every ‘nip’ liquor bottle in an effort to reduce litter. The bill passed the legislature Continue...