Bill
LD 1793
Amends Maine's Solid Waste Diversion Grant eligibility to boost waste diversion and reduce solid waste; DEP to administer revised grants, affecting municipalities, authorities, nonprofits, and businesses.
Status
- Introduced: April 24, 2025
- Passed: June 2, 2025 (Engrossed with Committee Amendment “A” (S‑190))
- Became law without the Governor’s signature: June 17, 2025
- Committee: Environment and Natural Resources
- Subjects: infrastructure, management, solid wastes
Purpose and intent
- The bill’s stated purpose is to improve management of solid waste and to reduce the overall volume of solid waste in Maine. In its final, engrossed form the bill includes changes to the Maine Solid Waste Diversion Grant Program, adjusting eligibility criteria to better target diversion efforts.
Key provisions (based on available documents)
- Amends eligibility criteria for the Maine Solid Waste Diversion Grant Program. The fiscal notes and legislative actions indicate that Committee Amendment “A” (S‑190) was adopted and that the engrossed bill focuses on grant eligibility changes intended to enhance diversion and management outcomes.
- Directs the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to implement the statutory changes and administer any revised grant program requirements (administrative details and text-specific changes were not included in the provided materials).
Who is affected
- Department of Environmental Protection: administrative responsibility for implementing the changes and managing the grant program.
- Applicants and recipients of the Maine Solid Waste Diversion Grant Program: municipalities, regional waste management authorities, nonprofit organizations, businesses, or other entities that apply for diversion grants may see revised eligibility rules.
- Local governments and waste management programs: changes are intended to promote projects or practices that reduce solid waste volume, so local programs and contractors could be affected by new funding priorities or eligibility requirements.
- Maine residents and businesses: will be indirectly affected through changes in available diversion projects and waste-management practices funded or incentivized by the grant program.
Fiscal impact and administrative timeline
- Fiscal notes (approved 05/23/25 and 06/02/25) estimate a minor increase in costs to the DEP charged to Other Special Revenue Funds. Those costs are expected to be small and absorbable within existing DEP budgeted resources.
- Procedural timeline highlights: referred to committee on 4/24/25; work sessions in May; committee amendment adopted and bill passed 6/2/25; became law without the governor’s signature 6/17/25.
Limitations / where to find more detail
- The provided documents do not include the bill’s full statutory text or the precise language of Committee Amendment “A” (S‑190). For exact statutory changes (specific eligibility criteria, definitions, funding mechanisms, effective date, and any reporting requirements), consult the full engrossed bill text and amendment on the Maine Legislature’s website or contact the Legislative Reference Library.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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