Approved: 03/25/16
	127th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 1578		LR 2574(02)
	An Act To Update Maine's Solid Waste Management Laws
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Environment and Natural Resources
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Current biennium cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds Current biennium revenue increase - Other Special Revenue Funds Minor revenue increase - General Fund
			FY 2015-16	FY 2016-17	Projections  FY 2017-18	Projections  FY 2018-19
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund		$0	$40,000	$40,000	$40,000
Appropriations/Allocations
	General Fund		$0	$40,000	$40,000	$40,000
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements
	Increases the number of civil suits. The collection of additional filing fees may also increase General Fund revenue by minor amounts.
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	The bill establishes a product stewardship program for batteries and requires the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to charge a fee of up to $25,000 on applicants to review submissions of covered battery stewardship plans. The DEP is also allowed to establish an annual fee of up to $25,000 on operators of each covered battery stewardship program for costs related to oversight, administration and enforcement. Both of these fees must be based on actual costs to the DEP. Although there is no estimate of the amount of Other Special Revenue Funds expenditures and revenue these activities will generate, this fiscal note assumes there will be adequate resources to cover DEP costs. This bill also establishes the Maine Solid Waste Diversion Grant Program for the purpose of providing grants to entities increasing the diversion of solid waste from disposal in the State. DEP is required to provide funding from the Maine Solid Waste Management Fund for these grants if DEP determines there are sufficient balances within the fund to make disbursements. There is no estimate on the amount of grants that will be disbursed to eligible entities. The bill also allows DEP to conduct rulemaking to change fees related to certain solid waste disposal, resulting in an estimated potential increase in Other Special Revenue Funds revenue to the Maine Solid Waste Management Fund. This bill also requires DEP to establish a food scraps composting pilot program with costs expected to be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.
	This bill includes a General Fund appropriation of $40,000 in fiscal year 2016-17 for the Department of Administrative and Financial Services to establish a food waste composting pilot program. Any additional costs to the Legislature to participate in the pilot program are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.