Latest news with #LD500
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
With passage of two bills, Maine poised to expand testing of private wells for PFAS
Per and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, are chemicals that linger in the body and are linked to health issues like cancer, obesity, liver damage, decreased fertility, thyroid disease, high cholesterol and hormone suppression. (Photo Illustration by) Lawmakers passed two bills to expand testing for contaminants in private wells in the state. On Thursday, the Maine Senate passed LD 493, which will require landlords of residential buildings who have private wells to test the water for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly called PFAS, every five years and share those results with the tenants. The bill does not require them to treat the water if contaminants are found. Support from the upper chamber came after the House of Representatives voted 78-69 on Wednesday to pass it. Beyond more robust testing for renters' wells, the Legislature also passed LD 500 this week to add PFAS to the list of contaminants the Department of Health and Human Services recommends testing for in private wells. The proposal would also provide free well water testing for low-income residents. The House of Representatives passed the bill with a 79-66 vote. Both bills still need enactment votes from each chamber. But before heading to Gov. Janet Mills for final approval, they will likely end up on the special appropriations table. LD 500 has a fiscal note of about $150,000 a year, while LD 493 is projected to cost between $110,000 and $125,000 annually. More than half of Mainers get their drinking water from private drinking wells, which aren't regulated under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Landlords are already required to test for arsenic in wells that provide drinking water and share the test results with tenants within 10 days of being notified of the results. The new legislation builds upon that by requiring landlords to also test the water for PFAS, and other potentially harmful contaminants including lead and uranium. PFAS have been linked to health concerns including cancer, liver damage, pregnancy complications, increased cholesterol levels and more. PFAS contamination in water is a concern in Maine not only from the historic practice of spreading chemical-laden sludge on farmland, but also from spills of toxic firefighting foam like the one in Brunswick last summer as well as landfill leachate. 'There is enormous mental stress associated in wondering whether your drinking water is making you sick,' said Rep. Laurie Osher (D-Orono), who sponsored LD 493, during discussion on the House floor. Some House Republicans opposed LD 493, arguing that landlords may have to raise rents to cover the cost of testing, which goes against affordable housing priorities. When discussing LD 500, Rep. Michele Meyer (D-Eliot), who co-chairs the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee, argued that 'paying for these tests is much more affordable than the health care costs associated with PFAS.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Maine lawmakers look to increase testing for PFAS in private drinking wells
Rep. Bill Pluecker (I-Warren) said it's critical to test for PFAS, which have been linked to health concerns including cancer, liver damage, pregnancy complications, increased cholesterol levels and more. (Photo by Getty Images) The Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee held a public hearing Tuesday afternoon for three bills seeking to better identify forever chemicals in private wells and address their presence in certain public water systems. 'No family should be left in the dark about what's in their water,' said Rep. Bill Pluecker (I-Warren), when introducing LD 500. Pluecker's proposal would add perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly called PFAS, to the list of contaminants the Department of Health and Human Services recommends testing for in private wells. Additionally, it seeks to use money from the department's Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory account to provide free well water testing for low-income residents. A similar proposal died last year due to concerns over that proposal's use of general funds to support the program, but Pluecker said he believed the department's dedicated fund should be sufficient to avoid the need for other state dollars. More than half of Mainers get drinking water from private, residential wells, so Pluecker said it's critical to test for PFAS, which have been linked to health concerns including cancer, liver damage, pregnancy complications, increased cholesterol levels and more. Rep. Laurie Osher (D-Orono) also introduced a similar proposal to expand testing for PFAS substances in private drinking wells, which aren't regulated under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Landlords are already required to test for arsenic in wells that provide drinking water and share the test results with tenants within 10 days of being notified of the results. LD 493 would build upon that by requiring landlords to also test the water for PFAS, lead, uranium and other potentially harmful contaminants. While the landlord would not be required to treat any contamination, they would have to disclose it to tenants and potential tenants within 10 days of receiving results. Similarly, the bill would require residential owners to disclose any water tests that indicate the presence of PFAS when selling the property. The version of this bill introduced last session died on the special appropriations table, where bills are chosen by the budget committee for funding, with a fiscal note of a little more than $100,000 per year. The health committee also heard a proposal from Rep. Daniel Shagoury (D-Hallowell) that targets forever chemicals in public water systems throughout the state. LD 1326 would establish maximum PFAS levels in the drinking water of certain public water systems that serve settings such as schools, factories, industrial parks or office buildings. The Department of Health and Human Services is currently in the process of adopting rules that align with the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in April 2024. Those new federal standards create enforceable limits for six PFAS in drinking water that can have adverse health effects. Shagoury acknowledged that the department is opposed to his bill for being duplicative, but he argued it would underscore the Legislature's belief that standards for PFAS in drinking water are important. The Maine Water Utilities Association also opposed the bill because it said Maine has adopted federal water standards rather than creating its own statute to make compliance with federal standards less burdensome. Changing that and adopting LD 1326 would create complexity and confusion for water systems, said Mike Cummons, who works for the Maine Water Company in Saco. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
