MAINE STATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
  • About Us
    • Connect with Us
    • Affiliates & Partners
    • Our Board
    • Meet the Team
    • President's Message
    • External Social Media Policy
  • Membership
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Join the Chamber
    • Return on Investment
    • Member Search
  • Public Policy
    • Public Hearings of Interest
    • Legislation of Interest
    • Public Policy Committees
    • Grassroot Resources
    • Find Your Legislator >
      • Representatives
      • Senators
  • Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • 2021 Annual Dinner
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Business Day at the Statehouse
    • Board Meetings & Board Events
    • DC Fly-In
    • Legislative Social
    • Policy Issues Workshops
    • Regional Breakfasts
    • Scramble for Scholars
    • Webinars by The Maine State Chamber of Commerce
  • Initiatives
    • Campus Career Connect
    • Chamber BlueOptions
    • Dream It. Do It.
    • Education Foundation
    • Keep Maine Competitive
    • Maine Economic Research Institute (MERI)
    • This is ME Counting on You
    • Senior Leaders of Tomorrow Development Program
  • Newsroom
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Impact Newsletter
    • MSCC Blog
    • The Bottom Line
    • The Maine Take
    • Making Maine Work
    • MERI Roll Call
    • OneVoice Maine Magazine
    • Policy Brief Series with Educate Maine
    • Press Releases & Headlines
    • Press Kit
  • Member Login

Unanimously approved by the House and Senate, LD 1964 now heads to the Governor’s desk for her signature

3/31/2022

0 Comments

 
This week, the Maine House of Representatives and the Maine Senate voted unanimously in support of the enactment of LD 1964, An Act To Update Certain Water Quality Standards and To Reclassify Certain Waters of the State. The vote in the House was 129 Yeas, zero Nays, and 19 absent. While the vote in the Senate was 33 Yeas, zero Nays, and one Excused.
LD 1964 was part of the triennial review process and implemented recommendations of the Board of Environmental Protection resulting from its review of the state’s water quality classification system and related water quality standards. As recommended by the board, the bill included specific updates to certain water quality standards and water quality classifications based on water quality data and the recommendations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, and other parties.
 
There were 51 recommendations put forward, and the Maine State Chamber had no opposition to many of these. However, we did submit testimony in opposition to Section 19, which deals with the Androscoggin River and the reclassification from the Worumbo Dam in Lisbon Falls to a line formed by the extension of the Bath-Brunswick boundaries across Merrymeeting Bay. Section 19 of LD 1964 reclassified this area from Class C to Class B. This is a smaller segment by about 20 miles than what was previously proposed in LD 676, An Act To Reclassify Part of the Androscoggin River to Class B.
 
While the shorter segment that was voted on is a positive compared to the original drafted language in LD 676, the Maine State Chamber remains concerned about future reclassifications upstream, which would have a greater impact on the river. We will be monitoring this issue as it will undoubtedly arise in a future legislative session and will likely have a greater negative impact then.
 
During the committee process, there was an attempt to add an amendment to reclassify the lower Presumpscot River from Class C to Class B. This would have significant impacts as well, and the Maine State Chamber was strongly opposed to its inclusion. It is important to note that the Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) did not put this recommendation forward, and the Department of Environmental Protection was against this, which is why it is not in the bill as drafted. We are happy to report that this amendment was not included in the committee’s work, and it was not included in LD 1964 when the Legislature voted, which is a positive for the business community in Maine.
 
While the Maine State Chamber still has some concerns regarding future classification changes to the Androscoggin River, we view the vote on LD 1964 as a positive - because LD 1964 impacted a smaller segment for the Androscoggin River, and LD 676 did not move forward this legislative session. It is also a positive that the Presumpscot River change was not included. As we look toward future legislative sessions, the Maine State Chamber will keep a close eye on changes to river classifications. Maine’s business community supports a clean and healthy environment upheld by a robust regulatory framework that ensures we are stewards of our most precious resources. Our environmental policies should be based on science – including our river classifications. The business community needs consistency in its river classification regulations, because changes to the river’s classification impact many Maine jobs.
 
For additional information or questions, please contact Ben Lucas, government relations specialist, by calling (207) 623-4568, ext. 111, or by emailing blucas@mainechamber.org.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    RSS Feed

Copyright Maine State Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved.
 128 State Street | Suite 101 | Augusta, ME 04330-5630
 Phone: (207) 623-4568
For media inquiries, please contact Melanie Baillargeon, (207) 623-4568
  • About Us
    • Connect with Us
    • Affiliates & Partners
    • Our Board
    • Meet the Team
    • President's Message
    • External Social Media Policy
  • Membership
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Join the Chamber
    • Return on Investment
    • Member Search
  • Public Policy
    • Public Hearings of Interest
    • Legislation of Interest
    • Public Policy Committees
    • Grassroot Resources
    • Find Your Legislator >
      • Representatives
      • Senators
  • Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • 2021 Annual Dinner
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Business Day at the Statehouse
    • Board Meetings & Board Events
    • DC Fly-In
    • Legislative Social
    • Policy Issues Workshops
    • Regional Breakfasts
    • Scramble for Scholars
    • Webinars by The Maine State Chamber of Commerce
  • Initiatives
    • Campus Career Connect
    • Chamber BlueOptions
    • Dream It. Do It.
    • Education Foundation
    • Keep Maine Competitive
    • Maine Economic Research Institute (MERI)
    • This is ME Counting on You
    • Senior Leaders of Tomorrow Development Program
  • Newsroom
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Impact Newsletter
    • MSCC Blog
    • The Bottom Line
    • The Maine Take
    • Making Maine Work
    • MERI Roll Call
    • OneVoice Maine Magazine
    • Policy Brief Series with Educate Maine
    • Press Releases & Headlines
    • Press Kit
  • Member Login