An Act To Protect Aquifers
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1265
Committee: Natural Resources
Sponsors: MITCHELL, DAIGLE, MARTIN, LERMAN

Legislative Document 
No. 1265 
S.P.445 
In Senate, March 15, 2005 
An Act To Protect Aquifers 
Reference to the Committee on Natural Resources suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator MITCHELL of Kennebec. 
Cosponsored by Representative DAIGLE of Arundel and 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senator: MARTIN of Aroostook, Representative: LERMAN of Augusta. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §§404·A to 404·D are enacted to read: 
1. 
S.t.aAdar.d$. ___ :rh~L_ C9IllmiJs.5 iO~'li~hal~s~Q:U_s1L-l!Y-J.:J,l.J~ 
st.andards for modeling and mapping well field areas, 
zones of 
~nt.ribution 
a~r:eclla!:~reM~~guifers. 
Standards 
for 
mapping 
may 
Q~J~9Jie~p~.isting geologic mapping of 
k~t9l'Ln 
g,<l-1.U._Ler 
chara~~~Li~t.lC:_!L_.Jj.I1)u'~_(:l.Jj,~J~J.:_ificatj..9Jl.---L--the locatiQ!). 
of 
existing 
and 
potential 
well 
fields 
and 
pumping 
rat;,e_~ 
hydrogeolog.icalJ~tuJ;:_efiL---9r.QJ,Ulg~Q~~_evel data, surface water 
dis~harge 
in.~QX--'!la!:j~n~r model calibration and pump test data 
for model verification. 
~~JJJeJJl.M.iIl9L--T-h.e __ 
CQJTll1Jillion~~hall 
adopJ~ __ D~l~t~ 
implement 
this 
sect jon. 
Rules 
adJ>-p-ted 
pursuant 
to 
this 
~ection are 
X9ut~ne technical rules pursuant to Title 5, 
~hapter 3~J.\p~.hJ~Qt&.L~~,--
l_"----~ppi-.Qgo{ __ e.i$t.ingveU$. by._~!)te.{:_---.C_01!lPi)Ai~s_._~1.LQ.U~ 
gr private wa~er c.QIDp_an'y-!ilU..yjng_lcO_O~.9~_J1J..Qre persQn,~...-1ihaJ,..Lma.p 
.all areas 
of~.p_tribM.t.j,_Qn and recharge areas for its wells in 
stratified drift aguifers. 
2. 
Ma.'ppi1J,g ___ Qf_e~ist:.ing ~el.1,JL.by~~p.a..rtmt!~.t. The 
CI..!'tl?-';\x.tm~mt 
.s.hall map all areas of contribution and recharge areas for wells 
in stratified drift agu~ters ttlat are used by public or private 
water company serving fewer than 1,000 persons. 
3. 
MaPR.iJ!9-2'---PQt~_D.";.j,~!.. .. ~e~l.jL_Jnr_~.,,t.er _(;~~ies. 
A public 
9..r._ltrivat.e water CQlJ\lu;n1y_s_e.rving.lJ), 000 or m.Qx..e...._Q.e.:r::..s.Q.ns_sJ1.aJL_map 
all areas of contribution and recharge areas for potential wells 
~ithin stratified drift aguifers identified as' future sources of 
water su~ 
40L--Jtappi:o.g_o.{_potenti~~~ells._p~~e~~tme~t • __ J:he 
~issioner shall i~~ify and m~e recommendations for mapping L 
Qr shall map_~~j,-gniJi-<;_allt._aIj!as of G9.Ptdl;>J!t.iQn and 
r_e~_.o.g...l:g~ 
.a...r~~.ru:..-..pQ.titnti.a..l_...l'1_ell_s_,i.J!_!itrat.liied drift aguifers 
1).9t 
j.J;1e~tiJie~LbY_.JLpu.bU,C __ Qr.H .. pr:i.yat_e_wat~.~~pany~. pQ.tenti_aJ 
source of water supply under subsection 3. 
StOt-c. 
Approval Qf m~p$. 
Page l-LR0406 (1) 
The mapping of aquifers by a public or private water company 
rutrsuant to section 404-B must be approved by the commissioner 
and is not considered complete until such approval has been given. 
§404-D. 
Aquifer protection zon~~ 
l,. __ ltguiteJ;_pJ:Qtection--..B:r::ea_de . .tiD..ec:L 
As 
used 
in 
thi.s 
.section, "aQuifer protection aI'ea" means any area consisting of 
well fields, areas of 
cont.r..il1.Y..t...iQ1L...Q1lL~>lrge areas that are 
identified on maps approved by the commissioner and that meet the 
criteria establishe.d... by the department pursuant to rule. 
Rules 
adopted pursuant to~s subs.ection are routine technical rules 
pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
.~HJmi.c...i.pa;L...x.egu._lati9A-Qf.~v.ile.L-.lU".Qtection areas..~ 
muni~~~ity in whi.~n~Yi!.e~rg~ection area is located ~ 
adopt regulations for aquifer protection. 
Sec. 
2. 
Develop 
recommendations: 
submit 
legislation. 
The 
Commissioner 
of 
Environmental 
Protection 
shall 
develop 
recommended land use controls in aquifer protection areas, 
as 
defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 38, section 404-0. 
In developing the recommendations, the commissioner shall propose: 
1. 
Best 
management 
practice 
standards 
for 
existing 
regulated activities located entirely or in part within aquifer 
protection areas and a schedule for compliance of nonconforming 
regulated activities with such standards; 
2. 
Best management practice standards for and prohibitions 
of regulated activities proposed to be located entirely or in 
part within aquifer protection areas; 
3. 
Procedures for exemptinq regulated activities in aquifer 
protection areas upon determination solely by the commissioner 
that such regulated activities do 
not pose 
a 
threat to 
any 
existing or potential drinking water supply; and 
4. 
Requirements for design and installation of groundwater 
monitoring within aquifer protection areas. 
The commissioner may include other recommendations necessary 
to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
No 
later than 
December 
7, 
2005, 
the 
commissioner 
shall 
submit the recommendations, including any necessary implementing 
legislation, 
to 
the 
Joint 
Standing 
Committee 
on 
Natural 
Resources. 
After receipt and review of the recommendations, the 
,Joint Standing Committee on Natural Resources may report out a 
bill to the Second Regular Session of the l22nd Legislature. 
SUMMARY 
The purpose of this bill, which is modeled on Connecticut 
law, is to establish aquifer protection areas in the State. 
This 
bill: 
1. 
Requires the Commissioner of Environmental Protection to 
establish by rule standards for modeling and mapping aquifers; 
2. 
Requires the mapping of aquifers: and 
3. 
Directs the Commissioner of Environmental Protection to 
develop 
recommendations, 
including 
necessary 
legislation, 
implement the regulation of aquifer protection areas. 
to