An Act to Direct a Portion of Unclaimed Beverage Container
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 2141
Committee: Environment and Natural Resources
Sponsors: BRENNER, BRIDGEO
Amends: 38 MRSA §3108-A

Legislative Document
No. 2141
S.P. 859
In Senate, January 7, 2026
An Act to Direct a Portion of Unclaimed Beverage Container 
Deposits to the Lake Water Quality Restoration and Protection 
Fund, the Maine Working Farmland Access and Protection 
Program and Public Defender Office Staffing
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203.
Reference to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources suggested and ordered 
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator BRENNER of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Representative BRIDGEO of Augusta and
Senator: TEPLER of Sagadahoc, Representatives: DOUDERA of Camden, MOONEN of 
Portland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  38 MRSA §3108-A, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 2023, c. 529, §§2 to 4 
and affected by §7, is further amended by amending subparagraph (4-A), division (c) to 
read:
(c)  Outreach to manufacturers, retailers, restaurants and consumers regarding 
the benefits of refillable beverage containers and the methods available for 
ensuring such containers may be safely reused; and
Sec. 2.  38 MRSA §3108-A, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 2023, c. 529, §§2 to 4 
and affected by §7, is further amended by amending subparagraph (5) to read:
(5)  Payment of $500,000 annually to the department for deposit into and use in 
accordance with the Cost and Carbon Efficient Technology Fund established in 
section 3114‑A.
The cooperative shall include in its annual report required under section 3107, 
subsection 3‑B, paragraph E any recommendations for a reduction in or other 
amendment to the payment required under this subparagraph that the cooperative 
believes necessary due to a reduction in the amount of unclaimed deposits available 
for expenditure in accordance with paragraph C, a surplus of undistributed funding 
within the Cost and Carbon Efficient Technology Fund established in section 
3114‑A or for other reasons specified by the cooperative.; 
Sec. 3.  38 MRSA §3108-A, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 2023, c. 529, §§2 to 4 
and affected by §7, is further amended by enacting a new subparagraph (6) to read:
(6)  Beginning October 1, 2026, payment of $2,000,000 annually to the department 
for deposit and use in accordance with the Lake Water Quality Restoration and 
Protection Fund under section 480-N; 
Sec. 4.  38 MRSA §3108-A, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 2023, c. 529, §§2 to 4 
and affected by §7, is further amended by enacting a new subparagraph (7) to read:
(7)  Beginning October 1, 2026, payment of $2,000,000 annually to the Department 
of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry for deposit and use in accordance with 
the Maine Working Farmland Access and Protection Program under Title 7, 
section 164; and 
Sec. 5.  38 MRSA §3108-A, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 2023, c. 529, §§2 to 4 
and affected by §7, is further amended by enacting a new subparagraph (8) to read:
(8)  Beginning August 1, 2026, payment of $2,000,000 annually to the Maine 
Commission on Public Defense Services under Title 4, section 1801 to support 
regional public defender office staffing. 
SUMMARY
This bill directs a portion of unclaimed beverage container deposits toward investment 
in the Lake Water Quality Restoration and Protection Fund and the Maine Working 
Farmland Access and Protection Program beginning October 1, 2026 and toward the Maine 
Commission on Public Defense Services to support regional public defender office staffing 
beginning August 1, 2026.