An Act to Require the Department of Environmental Protection to
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1207
Committee: Environment and Natural Resources
Sponsors: BLACK, PERKINS

Legislative Document
No. 1207
S.P. 496
In Senate, March 20, 2025
An Act to Require the Department of Environmental Protection to 
Monitor Air and Water Temperatures Around Commercial Solar 
Energy Developments
Reference to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources suggested and ordered 
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator BLACK of Franklin.
Cosponsored by Representative PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft and
Senators: BICKFORD of Androscoggin, TIMBERLAKE of Androscoggin, Representatives: 
BABIN of Fort Fairfield, COOPER of Windham, CRAY of Palmyra, GUERRETTE of 
Caribou, HALL of Wilton, JACKSON of Oxford.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  35-A MRSA c. 44-A is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 44-A
SOLAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT MONITORING PROGRAM
§4421.  Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms 
have the following meanings.
1.  Department.  "Department" means the Department of Environmental Protection.
2.  Operator.  "Operator" means the person operating a solar energy development.
3.  Solar energy development.  "Solar energy development" means a development 
occupying 3 or more acres that uses a solar energy system consisting of ground-mounted 
solar panels to convert solar energy to electrical energy for sale or use by a person other 
than the generator.  "Solar energy development" includes generating facilities and 
associated facilities.
§4422.  Solar energy development air and water temperature monitoring program; 
rules
In consultation with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the department 
shall establish and administer a program to monitor air and water temperatures surrounding 
solar energy developments.  The department shall adopt rules necessary for the 
establishment and administration of the program, which must include, but are not limited 
to, provisions regarding the scope of monitoring to be conducted and the sharing of 
monitoring information with the operator, other state agencies and the public.  Rules 
adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 
375, subchapter 2-A.
§4423.  Access to solar energy development site; authority of department
The department shall administer the program established under section 4422 subject to 
the same powers and authorities granted to it pursuant to Title 38, chapter 2, including, but 
not limited to, the authority to enter a solar energy development site in accordance with 
Title 38, section 347-C as necessary to administer the program.
SUMMARY
This bill directs the Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the 
Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, to establish, adopt rules for and administer a 
program to monitor air and water temperatures surrounding solar energy developments.  
Under the bill, "solar energy development" is defined as a development occupying 3 or 
more acres that uses a solar energy system consisting of ground-mounted solar panels to 
convert solar energy to electrical energy for sale or use by a person other than the generator.