PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 28, 2024
When L.D. 1911 passed in 2022, it was first-of-its-kind legislation in the United States and a milestone in public health toward the elimination of PFAS and other forever chemicals from the environment. And while the positive impacts of Maine’s legislation have been proudly celebrated across the country, its clean water industry has quietly inherited one of the largest challenges since the Clean Water Act of 1972: Where (and how) to safely dispose of the states’ biosolids? While it is not our first choice, the state must expand capacity at its landfill so industry leaders can continue to develop and fund the infrastructure to support the policies that have been enacted. We strongly recommend that the public benefit determination is granted for the proposed expansion of the Juniper Ridge landfill. ~ Theresa Tucker, Maine Water Environment Association