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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 92
H.P. 57 House of Representatives, January 8, 2025
An Act Regarding the Management of the Waste Components of a
Solar Energy Development upon Decommissioning
(EMERGENCY)
Reference to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources suggested and ordered
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative LEMELIN of Chelsea.
Page 1 - 132LR0428(01)
1Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not
2 become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
3Whereas, under the laws regulating the decommissioning of solar energy
4 developments, the person responsible for decommissioning must ensure that, upon
5 decommissioning, the waste components of a development are recycled or disposed of at
6 an authorized facility; and
7Whereas, this legislation requires that the recycling or disposal of those waste
8 components occurs within 90 days of physical removal from the solar energy development;
9 and
10Whereas, given the recent proliferation of solar energy developments in the State, this
11 legislation must take effect immediately to ensure the timely and proper end-of-life
12 management of the waste components of those developments; and
13Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within
14 the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as
15 immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now,
16 therefore,
17Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
18Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3491, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2023, c. 300, §1, is further
19 amended by amending the 2nd blocked paragraph to read:
20 "Decommissioning" includes the grading to postconstruction grade and revegetation of all
21 earth disturbed during construction and decommissioning, except for areas already
22 restored, providing for the recycling of the waste components of the solar energy
23 development, within 90 days of the physical removal of the waste components from the
24 development, that are recyclable, including, but not limited to, the solar panels, by a facility
25 authorized to accept such materials for recycling and providing for the disposal of the waste
26 components of the solar energy development, within 90 days of the physical removal of the
27 waste components from the development, that are not recyclable by a facility authorized to
28 accept such materials for disposal.
29Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation
30 takes effect when approved.
31SUMMARY
32 This bill amends the solar energy development decommissioning laws by requiring that
33 the recycling or disposal of waste components of a solar energy development occurs within
34 90 days of the physical removal of the waste components from the development.
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