Rulemaking Update
Visit the complete Department Proposed Rulemaking page.
Chapter 100, Definitions Regulation
Fact Sheet (PDF) :: Draft Rule Chapter (PDF) :: Adoption Packet
Concise Summary:
On February 6, 2020, the Maine Board of Environmental Protection voted to authorize the submission on behalf of the Governor of a petition to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, under Section 176A of the Clean Air Act (CAA), to remove certain portions of Maine from the Ozone Transport Region (OTR).
EPA recently notified the Department that amending the definition of "Ozone Transport Region" in the Department's Chapter 100 Definitions Regulation is necessary to facilitate processing of the Departments petition because the current State Implementation Plan-approved definition includes the entire state of Maine. Since approval of the Departments Section 176A Petition would reduce the geographic extent of the OTR in Maine, the Department is proposing to revise this definition to exclude those parts of the state to be removed from the OTR by the EPA Administrator pursuant to CAA Section 176A.
The Department will be submitting the changes to this rule, including previous amendments adopted on January 14, 2019, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval in Maine's State Implementation Plan.
On October 15 the Board voted to post the proposed rule changes to public hearing on November 19, 2020.
Directions on how to attend the hearing will be posted on the Department's rulemaking website and the Board's webpage one week before the hearing. Persons who want to testify at the hearing are encouraged to add their name to a testimony signup list prior to the start of the hearing by emailing their name to Board staff at ruth.a.burke@maine.gov by close of business on Monday, November 16th.
Board of Environmental Protection November 19, 2020 meeting agenda.
Board of Environmental Protection January 7, 2021 meeting agenda.
Agency contact:
Erle Townsend
17 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0017
207-287-7826
Public hearing: November 19, 2020
video/audio conference
Public noticed: October 16, 2020
Comment deadline: November 30, 2020, 5:00 PM
Adoption Meeting: January 7, 2021 BEP meeting
Effective Date: February 9, 2021