Resolve, Directing the Department of Environmental Protection To Submit a Report and Recommendations Conc~rning Oil from Tar Sands, Coal from Mountaintop Removal Mining and Other High.:. polluting Energy Sources
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1422
Committee: Natural Resources
Sponsors: FLEMINGS, BARTLETT, GOODALL

Legislative Document 
No. 1422 
H.P.998 
House of Representatives, April 7,2009 
Resolve, Directing the Department of Environmental Protection To 
Submit a Report and Recommendations Conc~rning Oil from Tar 
Sands, Coal from Mountaintop Removal Mining and Other High.:. 
polluting Energy Sources 
Reference to the Committee on Natural Resources suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative FLEMINGS of Bar Harbor. 
Cosponsored by Senator BARTLETT of Cumberland and 
-.;Yf/;j/~d: 117· 7!!tLC~ 
MlLLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatiws: ADAMS of P0l1land. BERRY of BO\vdoinham. CLEARY of Houlton. 
HINCK of Portland. WALSH INNES of Val11lOuth. PERCY of Phippsburg. Senator: 
GOODALL ofSagadahoc. 
Sec.!. Review information:" and report." Resolved: That the Department of 
Environmental Protection, with input" from the Public Utilities Commission, the 
Governor's Office of Energy Independence" and Security and other appropriate entities, 
shall review information and" issue a report and r~commendations on its findings 
" concerning" oil from tar sands and other high-polluting sources of oil and coal from 
mountaintop removal mining and other forms of coal mining in order to ensure that the 
State doe~ as much as possible to reduce the environmental" impacts "and public health 
impacts caused by the generation and use of energy derived from these sources; and be it 
further 
"Sec. 2. Coal from mountaintop removal min,ing and other coal mining 
operations. Resolved: That in its review the-department shall: 
1. 
Collect information about the source and volume of coal burn"ed to generate 
electricity within the New England electrical power grid and estimates concerning the 
amount of the coal-generated electricity used by consumers in the State on an annual 
basis; 
162. " Collect information about the environmental harm and public health impacts 
caused by the extraction, processing, transportation arid use of coal; and 
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3. Make recommendations for regulation, taxation or voluntary measures that would 
reduce the use of electricity in the State generated from coal mined through mountaintop 
removal and other techniqu"es with significant environmental and public health impacts; 
and be it further 
Sec. 3. Oil from tar sands, oil shale and coal gasification. Resolved: That 
in its review the department shall: 
1. Collect information about the amount and sources of liquid fuels used in the State 
derived from tar sands, oil shale and "coal gasification and information about the 
transportation into the State or through the State of petroleum prodll;cts that contain oil 
derived from tar sands,oil shale and coal gasification; 
2. 
Collect information about the environmental harm and public health impacts 
caused by the extraction, processing and use of energy derived from tar sands, oil shale 
" 
and coal gasification; and 
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3. Make recommendations for regulation, taxation or voluntary measures that would 
reduce the use in the State of petroleum products derived from tar sands, oil shale a:nd " 
coal gasification and the transportatio~ into or tm:ough the State of petroleum products 
based on tar sands, oil shale and c6al gasificati~n; and be it further 
Sec. 4. 
Report date. 
Resolved: 
That the Department of Environmental 
Protection shall submit its report with recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee 
on Natural Resources no later than January 10,2010; and be it further 
Sec. 5. 
Disclosures required; rules. 
Resolved: 
That the Department of 
Environmental Protection shall by rule establish annual disclosure requirements for all 
Pa~e 1 - 124LRI676(OI)-1 
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entities that sell electricity in Maine to the electricity ratepayers, if their product includes 
electricity generated by facilities that burn coal. The disclosure must be in a fact-sheet 
format that must be sent to all ratepayers and must include a description of pollution 
generated and impacts on health, wildlife and the environment caused by the extraction 
and combustion of coal. The disclosure must include 'a representative photograph of ' 
mining operations where the coal was extracted. 
Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve directs the Department of Environmental Protection, with input from the 
Public Utilities Commission, the Governor's Office of Energy Independence and Security 
and other appropriate entities, to review information and issue a report and 
recomniendations on its findings concerning oil from tar sands, oil shale and coal 
gasification and coal from mountaintop removal and other fornls of mining operations in 
, order to ensure that the State does as much as possible to reduce the environmental 
imp1J.cts caused by the generation and use of energy derived from these sources. In the 
report, the department is directed to collect information on liquid fuels derived ftom tar 
sands, oil shale and coal gasification 'and mountaintop removal and other forms of coal 
mining. The department shall submit its report and recommendations to the Legislature. 
This resolve also requires the department to establish public disclosure requirements for 
entities that sell electricity generated by facilities that bum coal.