An Act to Improve Management and Reduce the Volume of Solid
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1793
Committee: Environment and Natural Resources
Sponsors: GROHOSKI
Amends: 38 MRSA §1304, 38 MRSA §1310-N, 38 MRSA §2201-B

Legislative Document
No. 1793
S.P. 695
In Senate, April 24, 2025
An Act to Improve Management and Reduce the Volume of Solid 
Waste
Reference to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources suggested and ordered 
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  38 MRSA §1304, sub-§1-E is enacted to read:
1-E.  Authority of department.  In accordance with the requirements of this chapter 
and chapter 24, the department, as directed by the commissioner and the Director of the 
Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management identified in Title 5, section 938, 
subsection 1-A, paragraph G, shall take all actions necessary to ensure that solid waste, 
hazardous waste, special waste and other waste materials in the State are managed in a 
manner consistent with the policy in section 1302, the solid waste management hierarchy 
in section 2101, the food recovery hierarchy in section 2101-B and the state goals for 
recycling and waste disposal reduction in section 2132, including, but not limited to:
A.  Development and implementation or adoption of rules, policies, programs and 
incentives designed to reduce the volume of solid waste requiring disposal; reduce the 
cost to taxpayers of managing waste materials; protect the public health and safety; 
enhance and maintain the quality of the environment; and prevent air, water and land 
pollution;
B.  Provision of technical, financial and other assistance and guidance to 
municipalities, regional entities and other persons in the management of wastes, 
including, but not limited to, the assistance described in subsection 4 and in section 
2133, section 2162 and section 2201.  The department shall employ or contract for the 
staffing necessary to provide this assistance;
C.  Administration of grants and other programs to support waste reduction initiatives, 
including, but not limited to, grants through the Maine Solid Waste Diversion Grant 
Program under section 2201-B; and
D.  Collaboration with other state agencies and stakeholders to advance solid waste 
management solutions.
Sec. 2.  38 MRSA §1304, sub-§21 is enacted to read:
21.  Waste solutions task force.  The commissioner shall convene a task force 
consisting of the Director of the Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management identified 
in Title 5, section 938, subsection 1-A, paragraph G, other department staff and other 
participants, as determined by the commissioner, including, but not limited to, municipal 
officials, waste haulers, solid waste processors, incineration facilities and solid waste 
landfills to: 
A.  Identify and recommend cost-effective waste management practices; 
B.  Review and make recommendations regarding the state waste management and 
recycling plan under section 2122 and the product stewardship report required under 
section 1772, subsection 1; 
C.  Develop plans to assist municipalities and other persons in implementing waste 
reduction strategies; 
D.  Promote municipal and regional waste management solutions; 
E.  Enhance the efficiency of waste transportation; and
F.  Develop other findings and recommendations to improve solid waste management 
practices, reduce solid waste volumes and associated costs and reduce the 
environmental impacts of the waste management industry. 
On or before January 15, 2027 and biennially thereafter, the department shall submit a 
report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
environment and natural resources matters setting forth the findings and recommendations 
of the task force under this subsection.  After reviewing the report, the committee may 
report out related legislation.  The report required by this subsection may be included in 
the report required by section 2124-A.
Sec. 3.  38 MRSA §1310-N, sub-§2-H is enacted to read:
2-H.  Additional requirements for license applications beginning January 1, 2026.  
Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, beginning January 1, 2026, an 
applicant for a new license or an amendment to a previously issued license under this 
chapter, including an applicant for a license transfer under section 1310-Q and an applicant 
for a public benefit determination under section 1310-AA, shall submit with its license 
application a description of: 
A.  The methods by which the applicant will collaborate with communities surrounding 
the facility in, and solicit and accept community input regarding, the development and 
operation of the facility; and
B.  The applicant's plans for conducting comprehensive reviews of any input received 
pursuant to paragraph A for implementation of cost savings, waste reduction or other 
strategies or measures at the facility. 
The department may require as a condition of licensure under this chapter requirements for 
an applicant to implement measures designed to ensure meaningful community 
participation if the department determines that the applicant's submissions under 
paragraphs A and B are insufficient. 
The department may adopt rules to implement this subsection, including, but not limited 
to, rules defining the minimum standards for community participation and rules requiring 
community participation measures for all facilities licensed under this chapter.  Rules 
adopted by the department pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined 
in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 4.  38 MRSA §1310-N, sub-§13 is enacted to read:
13.  Licensing data.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the 
department shall require a licensee under this chapter to annually report to the department, 
on a schedule and in a manner determined by the department, information regarding the 
origin, volume and disposition of waste materials managed by the licensee and any other 
information required by the department.  The department shall allow a licensee to report 
aggregated information in a manner that does not require the submission of individual 
customer information or contractual information.  The department shall ensure that all 
information reported to the department pursuant to this subsection is made available on its 
publicly accessible website.
Sec. 5.  38 MRSA §2201-B, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 461, §7, is amended 
to read:
4.  Eligibility criteria.  The department may disburse grants under the program to any 
public or private entity demonstrating that a proposed program, project, initiative or activity 
is, in the department's determination, likely to increase the diversion of solid waste from 
disposal within a particular community, municipality or region or the State, including, but 
not limited to, municipal or regional composting, organics recovery or recycling programs, 
including the establishment of such programs or the purchase of infrastructure, equipment 
or other items necessary to implement such programs or improve existing programs; 
programs designed to provide equipment for or otherwise support residential composting 
and recycling; programs or business models designed to collect, transport for processing or 
process organic or recyclable materials; pilot programs designed to evaluate the feasibility 
of targeted composting, organics recovery, recycling or other waste management programs 
or initiatives; and initiatives or programs designed to educate certain categories of 
individuals or the general public about composting, organics recovery or recycling or to 
otherwise improve individual or community waste management practices.  Grants 
disbursed by the department under the program to public and regional entities may cover 
necessary costs incidental to or associated with the implementation of a proposed program, 
project, initiative or activity, including, but not limited to, the hiring of or contracting with 
consultants or specialists, the conducting of feasibility studies and the promotion of 
collaborative regional efforts.
Sec. 6.  Department of Environmental Protection; waste management 
solutions pilot program.  The Department of Environmental Protection shall develop 
and implement a pilot program designed to evaluate innovative solid waste management 
solutions, which may include, but is not limited to, engaging in or facilitating the following 
activities:
1. Funding of studies to evaluate current waste disposal processes and associated costs;
2. Developing and testing incentives to reduce waste management volumes; and
3. Assessing the feasibility and cost savings associated with contracting for waste 
collection and transportation services across a region.
On or before January 15, 2027, the department shall submit to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over environment and natural resources 
matters a report outlining the results of the pilot program under this section and including 
any recommendations for legislative action.  After reviewing the report, the committee may 
report out related legislation to the 133rd Legislature in 2027.
SUMMARY
This bill implements the following measures concerning the management and 
regulation of waste in the State.
1.  It clarifies the authority of the Department of Environmental Protection to manage 
waste within the State, as directed by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection and 
the Director of the Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management within the department 
identified in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 938, subsection 1-A, paragraph G.
2.  It directs the commissioner to convene a task force consisting of department staff 
and other stakeholders to develop recommendations to improve solid waste management 
practices, reduce solid waste volumes and associated costs and reduce the environmental 
impacts of the waste management industry.  The department is required to submit a report 
by January 15, 2027, and biennially thereafter, regarding the task force's findings and 
recommendations to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over environment and natural resources matters, which may report out related legislation.
3.  It requires that, beginning January 1, 2026, an applicant for a new or amended waste 
facility license must submit with its license application a description of the methods by 
which the applicant will collaborate with communities surrounding the facility in, and 
solicit and accept community input regarding, the development and operation of the facility 
and conduct comprehensive reviews of any such input.
4.  It requires a waste facility licensee to annually report to the department information 
regarding the origin, volume and disposition of waste materials managed by the licensee 
and any other information required by the department.  The licensee may report aggregated 
information in a manner that does not require the submission of individual customer 
information or contractual information, and the department is required to make all such 
reported information available on its publicly accessible website.
5.  It amends eligibility criteria for grants under the Maine Solid Waste Diversion Grant 
Program established in Title 38, section 2201-B to authorize disbursement of grants to 
public and regional entities to cover necessary costs incidental to or associated with the 
implementation of a proposed program, project, initiative or activity, including, but not 
limited to, the hiring of or contracting with consultants or specialists, the conducting of 
feasibility studies and the promotion of collaborative regional efforts.
6.  It requires the department to develop and implement a pilot program designed to 
evaluate innovative solid waste management solutions, which may include, but is not 
limited to:  funding of studies to evaluate current waste disposal processes and associated 
costs; developing and testing incentives to reduce waste management volumes; and 
assessing the feasibility and cost savings associated with contracting for waste collection 
and transportation services across a region.  On or before January 15, 2027, the department 
is required to submit to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over environment and natural resources matters a report outlining the results of the pilot 
program and including any recommendations for legislative action.  After reviewing the 
report, the committee may report out related legislation.