An Act to Protect Groundwater and Surface Waters from
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1604
Committee: Environment and Natural Resources
Sponsors: TIPPING
Amends: 38 MRSA §413, 38 MRSA §1303-C, 38 MRSA §1310-N

Legislative Document
No. 1604
S.P. 641
In Senate, April 10, 2025
An Act to Protect Groundwater and Surface Waters from 
Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances from Landfill 
Leachate
Reference to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources suggested and ordered 
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator TIPPING of Penobscot.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  38 MRSA §413, sub-§13 is enacted to read:
13.  Landfill leachate; reporting.  Notwithstanding section 414‑A or any other 
provision of law to the contrary, a person licensed by the department to discharge 
wastewater to groundwater or any waters of the State shall maintain a record of and 
annually report to the department in a manner determined by the department regarding the 
origin, volume and final disposition of leachate collected from a solid waste landfill 
delivered to or otherwise accepted by the licensee for treatment or other management.
Sec. 2.  38 MRSA §413, sub-§14 is enacted to read:
14.  Discharge limits for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.  The 
department shall adopt rules establishing limits on the amount of perfluoroalkyl and 
polyfluoroalkyl substances in discharged effluent.  Notwithstanding section 414-A or any 
other provision of law to the contrary, beginning June 1, 2026, a person licensed by the 
department to discharge wastewater to groundwater or any waters of the State may not 
discharge any wastewater containing leachate collected from a solid waste landfill unless 
the effluent discharged satisfies the limits adopted by the department by rule regarding the 
amount of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in discharged effluent.  Rules 
adopted by the department pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined 
in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
As used in this subsection, "perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances" has the same 
meaning as in section 1614, subsection 1, paragraph F.
Sec. 3.  38 MRSA §1303-C, sub-§19-F is enacted to read:
19-F.  Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.  "Perfluoroalkyl and 
polyfluoroalkyl substances" or "PFAS" has the same meaning as in section 1614, 
subsection 1, paragraph F.  
Sec. 4.  38 MRSA §1310-N, sub-§10-A is enacted to read:
10-A.  Testing of landfill leachate for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl 
substances.  Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, a licensed solid 
waste landfill that has installed a landfill leachate collection system shall ensure, on a 
quarterly basis, that its leachate is tested by an independent 3rd-party entity for 
perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination in a manner directed by the 
department.  Results from leachate testing conducted pursuant to this subsection must be 
provided by a solid waste landfill to the department annually at the time the landfill submits 
its annual report pursuant to subsection 6-D, paragraph B.  The department shall make 
leachate testing results submitted pursuant to this subsection available on its publicly 
accessible website in a manner and format that is readable and understandable by the 
general public.
Sec. 5.  38 MRSA §1310-N, sub-§10-B is enacted to read:
10-B.  Testing of private water supplies for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl 
substances.  Upon written request to the department from the owner of a property abutting 
a licensed solid waste landfill, the department shall require the licensee to conduct sampling 
and analysis for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances of a private water supply 
well used by the owner for drinking water purposes.  For the purposes of this subsection, a 
property is considered to be abutting a solid waste landfill if the property is contiguous to 
property on which the landfill is located, including directly across a public or private right-
of-way from the landfill, or is located within one mile of property on which the landfill is 
located.  
A. Sampling and analysis for PFAS contamination pursuant to this subsection must be 
conducted using standard analytical methods for the detectable level of PFAS 
established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. 
B. The laboratory performing the sampling and analysis shall provide written copies of 
results to the licensee, the property owner and the department.  The property owner 
may request and the department may require the licensee to conduct additional 
sampling and analysis of the owner's private water supply well for PFAS contamination 
pursuant to this subsection.
SUMMARY
This bill requires a person licensed by the Department of Environmental Protection to 
discharge wastewater to groundwater or any waters of the State to maintain a record of and 
annually report to the department, in a manner determined by the department, regarding the 
origin, volume and final disposition of leachate collected from a solid waste landfill 
delivered to or otherwise accepted by the licensee for treatment or other management.  It 
also prohibits, beginning June 1, 2026, such licensed wastewater dischargers from 
discharging any wastewater containing leachate collected from a solid waste landfill unless 
the effluent discharged satisfies limits adopted by the department by rule regarding the 
amount of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in effluent discharges.  
The bill requires a licensed solid waste landfill that has installed a landfill leachate 
collection system to ensure that its leachate is tested on a quarterly basis by an independent 
3rd-party entity for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination in a 
manner directed by the department.  The leachate testing results must be made available by 
the department on its publicly accessible website in a manner and using a format that is 
readable and understandable by the general public.  The bill also provides that, upon written 
request to the department from the owner of a property abutting a licensed solid waste 
landfill, the department must require the landfill licensee to conduct sampling and analysis 
for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances of a private water supply well used by 
the owner for drinking water.