Environment

This bill requires that waste components from decommissioned solar energy developments (such as solar panels) must be recycled or disposed of within 90 days of being physically removed from the site. It applies to entities responsible for decommissioning solar facilities, including developers and operators. The law amends existing regulations by adding a strict 90-day deadline for recycling or disposal at an authorized facility, addressing waste management concerns as solar installations grow in Maine. This change ensures timely end-of-life handling without altering current recycling/disposal standards.

This bill changes Maine law to allow developers to cancel a site location development permit for non-subdivision projects when the project is fully decommissioned. Currently, permits can only be canceled if the project was never built or operated; this bill adds decommissioning as a valid reason. The Environmental Protection Commissioner must cancel the permit if the development meets the new definition of "fully decommissioned," meaning all structures are removed, the site is restored to pre-construction grade, native vegetation is replanted, and waste is properly recycled or disposed of. This applies to developers who have permits for non-subdivision projects that are later shut down and cleaned up.

LD 735 protects Sears Island's coastal sand dunes by requiring state agencies to obtain certification from an indigenous lands protection committee before authorizing any development on the island. This committee, composed of representatives from five Maine tribes and a gubernatorial appointee, must confirm proposed development areas do not contain sacred indigenous sites. The bill repeals prior laws permitting a wind terminal project and a conservation plan for a specific 10-acre parcel, and establishes a two-thirds vote requirement for any land development legislation conflicting with EPA regulations, with sponsorship limited to legislators from the affected district.