Latest news with #MelanieLoyzim
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
As lawsuits threaten state climate superfunds, officials caution Maine from adopting one now
Passersby observe the floodwaters at Veterans Memorial Park on the banks of the Androscoggin River in Lewiston on Dec. 20, 2023. (Jim Neuger/ Maine Morning Star) Although Maine often prides itself on living out its motto to be a leader, especially with environmental policy, state leaders are encouraging lawmakers to pause efforts to hold fossil fuel companies accountable. Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Melanie Loyzim acknowledged that Maine will need billions of dollars to address the impacts of climate change, but she said now is not the time to move forward with a proposal for fossil fuel companies to cover those costs, citing the legal battles miring states that have already taken such action. Balancing that need and timing, Loyzim told the Legislature's Environment and Natural Resources Committee on Monday that the department is neither for nor against two bills seeking to establish a superfund for large fossil fuel companies to pay for infrastructure repairs, resiliency efforts and other costs in the rural and low-income communities disproportionately affected by flooding and other disasters. 'The fossil fuel industry created a mess in Maine and it's high time they are responsible for cleaning it up,' said Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Cumberland), who sponsored one of the bills. LD 1870 would establish the Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program, which would be funded by payments from fossil fuel businesses responsible for more than one billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions between 1995 and 2024. The legislation stipulates that at least 35% of the funds would need to be used for climate change adaptation projects that benefit low-income households. Trump attack on state climate laws likely doomed, but attempts to yank funds may be next Brenner said her bill, with one Republican cosponsor, is a natural extension of the bipartisan efforts behind LD 1 that was signed into law last month. That symbolic first bill of the session created funding opportunities to make Maine homes more resilient and established a new State Resilience Office to address flooding and other impacts of extreme weather. That legislation was in response to the series of severe storms that caused an estimated $90 million in damage to public infrastructure across Maine last winter and builds upon $60 million for storm relief that was included in the state's supplemental budget last year. 'Instead of needing to pass a bill like LD 1 every single legislative session, we can establish a climate superfund to better prepare for and respond to storms,' said Jackson Chadwick, advocacy director for Maine Youth for Climate Justice, testifying in support. During the public hearing, Rep. Grayson Lookner (D-Portland) introduced LD 1808 that similarly seeks to establish a superfund to hold fossil fuel companies accountable, especially since research has shown that companies including Exxon knew of the harm decades ago and actively sought to suppress those findings. Though there is a lot of overlap between the two bills, Lookner said his bill provides a more robust definition around an 'environmental justice focus populations' that could better direct superfund dollars to communities hit hardest. During the hearing, many of the proponents said they prefer LD 1870, but Lookner and others encouraged the committee to take the best components of each bill when streamlining the proposals. Maine Lobsters Union Local 207 submitted testimony in support of Lookner's bill, saying that Maine needs a plan for the future so heritage industries that rely on the waterfront, like lobster fishing, aren't left with debilitating damage from extreme weather and little means to make the repairs. The Maine State Chamber of Commerce opposed the measures, arguing that they pose risks to Maine business by retroactively assigning financial liability to companies that were lawfully engaging in business. It fears such legislation would signal that Maine is an unpredictable place to do business. Sen. Denise Tepler (D-Sagadahoc), who co-chairs the committee, asked Brenner if the superfund would pay for damages in the five areas of her district that are being impacted by sea level rise. Brenner reminded her that costs to repair roads and other public infrastructure in those areas are currently being paid for by taxpayers. Some committee members questioned whether the model would increase prices at the gas pump or on energy bills, but Brenner said she believes existing financial regulatory processes would prevent costs from being pushed on to consumers. Maine isn't the first state to explore the idea of a climate superfund, as Vermont and New York have already passed similar legislation. However, those states, as well as Hawaii and Michigan, have subsequently been sued for those policies, including by the U.S. Department of Justice. The Justice Department said the lawsuit is also meant to advance an executive order from President Donald Trump that targets state and local policies involving climate change, environmental justice and carbon emissions reductions. Rachel Rothschild, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan Law School, told the committee it is unprecedented for the DOJ to bring that type of lawsuit and she is skeptical of the viability of the claims. U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi argues these policies threaten the country's energy independence, while the lawsuit claims they are unconstitutional and preempted by the federal Clean Air Act. However, Rothschild said the Clean Air Act addresses future pollution, whereas the superfund looks at pollution retroactively. Climate superfunds, like the one proposed in Maine, build upon a long-standing principle in environmental law known as 'polluter pays.' That is the same principle that requires identifiable polluters to foot the bill to clean up hazardous waste sites. Cathy Breen, who testified on behalf of the Environmental Priorities Coalition, said the state has adopted other uses of that principle through policies such as the beverage container redemption program, as well as the recently extended producer responsibility program for packaging. LD 1870 is a priority for the coalition of 40 conservation, climate and public health organizations this legislative session. Loyzim said it would be helpful for Maine to wait and see how that litigation plays out in other states before creating a superfund of its own. She recommended the state wait until next year to dig into this topic and what it could look like in Maine. This would also allow the state to determine how best to implement the policy, including details like whether it would share data with other states, to better estimate the cost of such a policy. Rep. Dan Ankeles (D-Brunswick) asked Loyzim how to ensure that the department continues to lay the groundwork for that conversation if the committee chooses to defer it until next year. Loyzim said they will already be tracking those legal challenges but also suggested the committee could convert one of the bills into a directive for the department to work on a report to inform future discussion. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Forgoing moratorium, committee backs plan to study health impacts of artificial turf
Artificial turf can contain some toxic chemicals, including phthalates, which have been known to increase risks of cancer, asthma and other negative health outcomes. (Photo: Aire images/ Getty) Forgoing a moratorium on new artificial turf fields, lawmakers are recommending the state still study the effects they could have on public health and the environment. The members of the Legislature's Environment and Natural Resources Committee who were present for a work session Wednesday afternoon unanimously endorsed an amended version of LD 1177. The bill will next go to the Maine House of Representatives and Senate for approval. Originally, the bill sought to place a three-year moratorium on the installation and reinstallation of synthetic turf athletic fields while the Department of Environmental Protection conducted a study to determine how those materials interact with the health of local environments and the people who recreate on those fields. However, the amended bill backed by the committee nixed the moratorium and narrowed the study to look at how synthetic turf affects ambient air, groundwater and surrounding organisms, as well as disposal options once the fields reach the end of their life. The study would also evaluate any release of microplastics from the fields and the effect of that on the surrounding environment and human health. The department would need to submit a report to the Legislature with its findings in the study by January 2028. Commissioner Melanie Loyzim said the department is comfortable with the amended proposal and feels it is within their expertise and jurisdiction. However, she said it will require additional resources so the bill will likely end up on what is called the 'special study table,' where legislative leaders determine which studies will get funded. If the department used an environmental consulting firm to assist with the study, Loyzim said it could cost around $100,000 to $200,000, but the department would look to use students and research resources from the University of Maine, potentially, to bring those costs down. Sen. Denise Tepler (D-Sagadahoc), who co-chairs the committee, said it was interesting to hear conflicting science on the issue, so she thinks an analysis of existing literature and any new research would be helpful for future decision making. Her fellow co-chair, Rep. Vicki Doudera (D-Camden), echoed the sentiment, describing the turf issue as 'tricky.' 'I really am in support of studying this further and getting a handle on what's going on,' Doudera said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Maine DEP: $50M sludge bond would preserve landfill space
Feb. 7—The state Department of Environmental Protection is proposing a $50 million bond to help wastewater treatment facilities buy the costly equipment needed to reduce the volume of sewage sludge headed to the state-owned landfill before it runs out of room by 2040. The bond would provide grant funding to as many as five municipal wastewater facilities to install digesters and dryers that would turn the wet slurry into an easier-to-haul solid that doesn't require the addition of out-of-state bulky waste to be stable enough to be landfilled. "There are many wastewater districts in Maine exploring options to reduce the tonnage of sludge they send to landfill," said DEP Commissioner Melanie Loyzim on Thursday. "But they have to make major capital investments that would significantly increase sewer rates for their customers." Initial estimates suggest a sludge dryer or digester can cost as much as $25 million, so the state bond money, if approved, would have to be coupled with a local match if DEP wants to help fund the five projects needed to provide affordable sludge services to the whole state, Loyzim said. Loyzim talked about the bond initiative — LD 25 — at an Environmental & Energy Technology Council of Maine panel in Augusta. If endorsed by the Legislature's finance committee, the bond would need two-thirds support in both the state House and Senate to be sent to voters in November. The bond initiative could defray districts' capital investments, keep sewer bills in check and slow the "unnecessary filling" of Maine landfill space with bulky materials, said Loyzim. Even with planned expansions, high sludge volumes have put Maine landfills on track to hit capacity by 2040. Once a common farm fertilizer, all Maine sewage sludge is now landfilled. In 2022, Maine became the first state to ban the land application of sludge because it contains harmful forever chemicals, or PFAS, that are known to pose a public health risk in even trace amounts. In February 2023, the operator of the state-owned Juniper Ridge Landfill stopped accepting municipal sludge deposits, saying the walls were in danger of collapse because a new state ban on out-of-state trash had left it without enough bulky waste to make the slurry stable enough to landfill. The closure left sewer operators stuck with overflow tanks and tractor-trailers filled with excess sludge. The operator began hauling it to New Brunswick to be composted, albeit at a much higher cost to municipalities, until lawmakers voted to allow limited waste imports for sludge bulking purposes. At the height of Maine's sludge spreading days, back in 1997, Maine sent 48% of its 267,000 tons of sludge to farmers to be applied to fields, turned 38% of it into compost, and buried the final 1% in a landfill, according to state Department of Environmental Protection records. The $50 million bond is DEP's biggest ask this legislative session, but not its only one. It is also seeking funding for eight new positions, including two new environmental specialist positions to help applicants navigate and stay informed during the environmental permitting process, Loyzim said. DEP will unveil an online licensing system in March that will help streamline the process, she said. "DEP's priority for this session is simple: We want to focus on implementing the laws that are already in place," Loyzim told the appreciative crowd. "There are lots of ways that legislation can improve on existing environmental laws, but it doesn't help to continuously cook up new ones." DEP plans to clarify existing regulations this session to help applicants understand exactly what the law allows them to do rather than pursue new regulations or expand the agency's scope, Lozyim said. Flexibility is important, but too much can lead to confusion, costly delays and frustration. Lozyim detailed how these new positions would help simply and speed up the permitting process when she presented her departmental budget to the Legislature's appropriations committee. Copy the Story Link
