An Act To Provide for Municipal Oversight and Authority over Groundwater Extraction
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §2642, as amended by PL 1995, c. 664, §1, is further amended to read:
§ 2642. Municipal regulation authorized; ordinance; penalty
At least 15 days prior to public hearings held under this section, notice of the hearing must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the municipality is located and mailed by certified mail to each owner of land over or bordering the source of public water supply water source within that municipality. Regulations adopted pursuant to this section become void upon the expiration of one year from the date of the adoption unless sooner ratified by vote of the legislative body of the municipality.
summary
This bill amends the law governing the authority of municipal officers to adopt regulations governing the surface uses of public water sources. It adds the authority to adopt regulations governing the extraction and removal of groundwater, spring water or water from aquifers. It also amends current law by authorizing municipal officers to regulate surface uses of land overlying groundwater aquifers and their recharge areas used as sources for private wells for domestic purposes.
The bill also provides that if such a regulation is ratified by the legislative body of a municipality, the municipal officers must submit for approval an ordinance governing the pumping or extraction of groundwater, spring water or water from aquifers.