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PUBLIC LAWS OF MAINE
First Special Session of the 118th

CHAPTER 364
H.P. 950 - L.D. 1313

An Act to Amend Certain Laws Administered by the Department of Environmental Protection

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

     Sec. 1. 32 MRSA c. 104-A, first 3 lines are repealed and the following enacted in their place:

CHAPTER 104-A
UNDERGROUND OIL STORAGE TANK INSTALLERS

     Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §10001, as amended by PL 1987, c. 410, §2, is further amended to read:

§10001. Declaration of purpose

     In order to safeguard the public health, safety and welfare, to protect the public from incompetent and unauthorized persons, to assure the highest degree of professional conduct on the part of underground oil and underground hazardous substance storage tank installers and to assure the availability of underground oil and underground hazardous substance storage tank installations of high quality to persons in need of those services, it is the purpose of this chapter to provide for the regulation of persons offering underground oil and underground hazardous substance storage tank installation services.

     Sec. 3. 32 MRSA §10002, sub-§§3-A, 5-A and 5-B, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 410, §3, are repealed.

     Sec. 4. 32 MRSA §10003, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1989, c. 845, §5, is further amended to read:

     1. Establishment and membership. There is established within the Department of Environmental Protection, the Board of Underground Storage Tank Installers. The board consists of 7 members appointed by the Governor as follows: one from the Department of Environmental Protection; one from either the Maine Oil Dealer's Association or the Maine Petroleum Association; one underground oil or underground hazardous substance storage tank installer; one from either the Oil and Solid Fuel Board, the Plumber's Examining Board or the State Board of Certification for Geologists and Soil Scientists; one from the Maine Chamber of Commerce and Industry; one from the Maine Fire Chiefs Association; and one public member.

     Sec. 5. 32 MRSA §10004, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1989, c. 312, §2, is further amended to read:

     2. Rules. The board may adopt, in accordance with the Maine Administrative Procedure Act, Title 5, chapter 375, rules relating to professional conduct to carry out the policy of this chapter, including, but not limited to, rules relating to professional regulation and to the establishment of ethical standards of practice for persons certified to practice underground oil or underground hazardous substance storage tank installation and removal and underground gasoline storage tank removal.

     Sec. 6. 32 MRSA §10006, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1989, c. 312, §3, is further amended to read:

     1. Certification required. No person may practice, or profess to practice, as an underground oil or underground hazardous substance storage tank installer or underground gasoline storage tank remover in this State or use the words "underground oil storage tank installer," "underground hazardous substance storage tank installer," "underground gasoline storage tank remover" or other words or letters to indicate that the person using the words or letters is a certified underground oil or underground hazardous substance storage tank installer practitioner or underground gasoline storage tank remover practitioner unless that person is certified in accordance with this chapter.

     Sec. 7. 32 MRSA §10008, as amended by PL 1987, c. 410, §8, is further amended to read:

§10008. Reciprocity

     A person who is a resident of the State and has been certified in another state as an underground oil or underground hazardous substance storage tank installer may, upon payment of a fee as established under section 10012, obtain a certification as an underground oil or underground hazardous substance storage tank installer, provided that a person submits satisfactory evidence of certification as an underground oil or underground hazardous substance storage tank installer in another state under qualifications equivalent to those specified in this chapter.

     Sec. 8. 32 MRSA §10010, first ¶, as amended by PL 1989, c. 312, §6, is further amended to read:

     An applicant applying for certification as an underground oil storage tank installer, an underground hazardous substance tank installer or an underground gasoline storage tank remover shall must file a written application provided by the board, showing to the satisfaction of the board that that person meets the following requirements.

     Sec. 9. 32 MRSA §10010, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1989, c. 845, §9, is repealed.

     Sec. 10. 32 MRSA §10010, sub-§5, ¶B, as amended by PL 1989, c. 845, §10, is further amended to read:

     Sec. 11. 32 MRSA §10010-A, as amended by PL 1989, c. 845, §11, is further amended to read:

§10010-A.  Certification requirements regarding on-site removal of underground oil storage tank used for storage of motor fuel under supervision of designated representative of Department of Environmental Protection

     To provide for the completion of the on-site installation of an underground hazardous substance storage tank or removal of an underground oil storage tank used for the storage of motor fuel under the supervision of a designated representative of the Department of Environmental Protection, the Board of Underground Storage Tank Installers may issue a provisional certificate valid for no more than 6 months after issuance to tank installers and removers who have successfully completed the examination requirements pursuant to section 10010.

     When the board determines that reasonable extenuating circumstances prevent the administration or completion of an on-site installation or removal within the 6-month provisional certification period, it may grant one renewal of a provisional certificate for a specific limited time not to exceed 3 months.

     The board shall establish a written set of criteria to be used as a checklist by the representative of the Department of Environmental Protection designated to supervise the on-site installation or removal to ensure that each installation or removal is evaluated consistently and equitably.

     Sec. 12. 32 MRSA §10011, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1991, c. 817, §7, is further amended to read:

     1. Requirements; fees. Only a person satisfying the requirements of section 10010, subsections 1 and 2 may apply for examination in the manner prescribed by the board. The application must be accompanied by the nonrefundable fee prescribed by section 10012. A person who fails either part of the applicable examination specified in section 10010, subsection 3, 4 or 5 may apply for reexamination upon payment of the prescribed fee.

     Sec. 13. 32 MRSA §10011, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1989, c. 312, §12, is further amended to read:

     2. Content. The written examination shall must test the applicant's knowledge of the skills and knowledge relating to storage tank installation or removal and such other subjects as the board requires to determine the applicant's fitness to practice. The board shall approve examinations required by this chapter for underground oil storage tank installers, underground hazardous substance storage tank installers and underground gasoline storage tank removers and establish standards for an acceptable performance.

     Sec. 14. 32 MRSA §10012, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1991, c. 499, §8, is further amended to read:

     2. Disposal of fees and civil penalties. All fees and civil penalties as authorized by section 10015 received by the board related to underground oil storage tank installers or underground gasoline storage tank removers must be paid to the Treasurer of State to be deposited into the Ground Water Oil Clean-up Fund and used for the purpose of carrying out all applicable provisions of this chapter. All fees and civil penalties as authorized by section 10015 received by the board related to underground hazardous substance storage tank installers must be paid to the Treasurer of State to be deposited into the Hazardous Waste Fund and used for the purpose of carrying out all applicable provisions of this chapter. Any balance of fees and civil penalties as authorized by section 10015 in the respective accounts does not lapse but must be carried forward as a continuing account to be expended for the same purposes in the following fiscal years.

     Sec. 15. 32 MRSA §10014, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1989, c. 312, §14, is further amended to read:

     2. Inactive status. Upon request, the board shall grant inactive status to certified persons who do not practice or present themselves as underground oil tank installers, underground hazardous substance storage tank installers or underground gasoline storage tank removers and maintain any continuing competency requirements established by the board.

     Sec. 16. 32 MRSA §10015, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 1989, c. 845, §12, is further amended to read:

     Sec. 17. 38 MRSA §341-D, sub-§1-A, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 347, §2, is amended to read:

     1-A. Stay. Except to the extent the department determines that a proposed rule implements a state law that is more stringent than the corresponding federal statute or regulation, any provision of the proposed rule that is determined by the department to be more stringent than the corresponding federal statute or regulation must be stayed for 60 days following adoption. During this 60-day period, interested persons may petition the board to have the Legislature review those provisions of the proposed rule that have been determined to be more stringent. The filing with the board of petitions from 5 or more interested persons stays the effective date of those provisions of the rule until 60 days after the filing, if the Legislature is then in session. If the Legislature is not then in session and is not scheduled to convene within the next 60 days, then those provisions of the rule that have been determined to be more stringent are stayed for 60 days after filing of the petitions to permit consultation between the legislative committee of jurisdiction, the department and other interested persons. Copies of the petitions that are filed, along with a statement from the department outlining the provisions of the rule that have been determined to be more stringent and the accompanying basis statement, must be submitted by the department to the Executive Director of the Legislative Council pursuant to Title 5, section 8053-A, subsection 3 upon receipt of the petitions. This subsection applies to new rules that are adopted by the board after the effective date of this subsection. Any major substantive rule that has been subject to legislative review under Title 5, section 8072 after provisional adoption is exempt from the stay and petition provisions under this subsection.

This subsection is repealed January 1, 1998.

     Sec. 18. 38 MRSA §341-G, first ¶, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 890, Pt. A, §13 and affected by §40, is amended to read:

     There is established the Board of Environmental Protection Fund to be used by the board as a nonlapsing fund to carry out its duties under this Title. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the funds identified in subsection 1 shall transfer annually to the Board of Environmental Protection Fund an amount not to exceed $150,000 $250,000. Money in the Board of Environmental Protection Fund may only be expended in accordance with allocations approved by the Legislature.

     Sec. 19. 38 MRSA §480-F, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1995, c. 267, §1, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

     1. Delegation. A municipality may apply to the board for authority to issue all permits under this article or for partial authority to process applications for permits involving activities in specified protected natural resources or for activities included in chapter 305 of the department's rules, addressing permit by rule. The board shall grant such authority if it finds that the municipality has:

     Sec. 20. 38 MRSA §480-F, sub-§2, as affected by PL 1989, c. 890, Pt. A, §40 and amended by Pt. B, §74, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

     2. Procedure. The following procedures apply to applications under this article processed by municipalities.

     Sec. 21. 38 MRSA §490-D, sub-§6-B is enacted to read:

     6-B. Medium borrow pits unlicensed on October 1, 1993. Notwithstanding subsection 6-A, the following provisions apply to a medium borrow pit that on October 1, 1993 was not licensed under article 6 and on which gravel had been extracted closer than 50 feet to a public or private road.

     Sec. 22. 38 MRSA §490-Y, first ¶, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 700, §35, is amended to read:

     Except as provided in section 484-A, a person intending to create or operate a quarry under this article must file a notice of intent to comply before the total area of excavation of rock or overburden on the parcel exceeds one acre. Both reclaimed and unreclaimed areas are added together in determining whether this one-acre threshold is exceeded. A notice filed under this section must be complete, submitted on forms approved by the department and mailed to the municipality where the quarry is located, the department, the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and each abutting property owner. The notice that is mailed to the municipality and each abutting property owner must be mailed at least 7 days before the notice of intent to comply is filed with the regulator. The notice that is mailed to the department must be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested. Upon receiving the postal receipt, the owner or operator may commence operation of the quarry. The municipality where the proposed quarry is located may submit comments to the department if the proposed quarry may pose an unreasonable adverse impact under the standards in section 490-Z. Within 30 days of receipt of the notice of intent to comply, the department shall respond to the comments made by the municipality.

     Sec. 23. 38 MRSA §490-Z, sub-§13, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 700, §35, is amended to read:

     Sec. 24. 38 MRSA §490-EE, sub-§3, ¶C, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 700, §35, is amended to read:

     Sec. 25. 38 MRSA §542, sub-§9-C is enacted to read:

     9-C. Responsible party. "Responsible party" means any person who could be held liable under section 552.

     Sec. 26. 38 MRSA §551, sub-§4, ¶A, as repealed and replaced by PL 1991, c. 454, §9 and affected by §14, is amended to read:

     Sec. 27. 38 MRSA §551, sub-§4, ¶D, as repealed and replaced by PL 1991, c. 454, §10 and affected by §14, is amended to read:

     Sec. 28. 38 MRSA §551, sub-§6-A is enacted to read:

     6-A. Lien. All costs incurred by the State in the removal, abatement and remediation of a prohibited discharge of oil are a lien against the real estate of the responsible party. The lien does not apply to the real estate of a licensee if the discharge was caused or suffered by a carrier destined for the licensee's facilities.

A certificate of lien signed by the commissioner must be sent by certified mail to the responsible party prior to being recorded and may be filed in the office of the clerk of the municipality in which the real estate is located. The lien is effective when the certificate is recorded with the registry of deeds for the county in which the real estate is located. The certificate of lien must include a description of the real estate, the amount of the lien and the name of the owner as grantor.
When the amount for which a lien has been recorded under this subsection has been paid or reduced, the commissioner, upon request by any person of record holding interest in the real estate that is the subject of the lien, shall issue a certificate discharging or partially discharging the lien. The certificate must be recorded in the registry in which the lien was recorded. Any action of foreclosure of the lien must be brought by the Attorney General in the name of the State in the Superior Court for the judicial district in which the real estate subject to the lien is located.

     Sec. 29. 38 MRSA §551, last ¶, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 817, §19, is repealed.

     Sec. 30. 38 MRSA §552, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1991, c. 698, §13, is further amended to read:

     2. State need not plead or prove negligence. Because it is the The intent of this subchapter is to provide the means for rapid and effective cleanup and to minimize direct and indirect damages as well as indirect damages and the proliferation of 3rd party 3rd-party claims. Accordingly, any person, vessel, licensee, agent or servant, including carriers a carrier destined for or leaving a licensee's facility while within state waters, who permits or suffers a prohibited discharge or other polluting condition to take place is liable to the State for all disbursements made by it pursuant to section 551, subsection 5, paragraphs B, D, E, H and I, or other damage incurred by the State, including damage for injury to, destruction of, loss of, or loss of use of natural resources and the reasonable costs of assessing natural resources damage. In any suit to enforce claims of the State under this section, to establish liability, it is not necessary for the State to plead or prove negligence in any form or manner on the part of the person causing or suffering the discharge or licensee responsible for the discharge. The State need only plead and prove the fact of the prohibited discharge or other polluting condition and that the discharge occurred at facilities under the control of the licensee or was attributable to carriers or others for whom the licensee is responsible as provided in this subchapter or occurred at or involved any real property, structure, equipment or conveyance under the custody or control of the person causing or suffering the discharge.

     Sec. 31. 38 MRSA §552, sub-§4, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 380, §2, is amended to read:

     Sec. 32. 38 MRSA §569-A, sub-§8, ¶A, as amended by PL 1995, c. 399, §13 and affected by §21, is further amended to read:

     Sec. 33. 38 MRSA §569-A, sub-§8, ¶A-1 is enacted to read:

     Sec. 34. 38 MRSA §569-A, sub-§10-A is enacted to read:

     10-A. Lien. All costs incurred by the State in the removal, abatement and remediation of a prohibited discharge of oil from an aboveground or underground storage facility are a lien against the real estate of the responsible party. For a responsible party determined eligible for coverage under section 568-A, subsection 1, the lien is for the amount of any unpaid deductible assigned under section 568-A, subsection 2 or for eligible clean-up costs and 3rd-party damage claims above $1,000,000.

A certificate of lien signed by the commissioner must be sent by certified mail to the responsible party prior to being recorded and may be filed in the office of the clerk of the municipality in which the real estate is located. The lien is effective when the certificate is recorded with the registry of deeds for the county in which the real estate is located. The certificate of lien must include a description of the real estate, the amount of the lien and the name of the owner as grantor.
When the amount for which a lien has been recorded under this subsection has been paid or reduced, the commissioner, upon request by any person of record holding interest in the real estate that is the subject of the lien, shall issue a certificate discharging or partially discharging the lien. The certificate must be recorded in the registry in which the lien was recorded. Any action of foreclosure of the lien must be brought by the Attorney General in the name of the State in the Superior Court for the judicial district in which the real estate subject to the lien is located.

     Sec. 35. 38 MRSA §569-B, sub-§6-A is enacted to read:

     6-A. Lien. All costs incurred by the State in the removal, abatement and remediation of a prohibited discharge of oil from an aboveground or underground storage facility are a lien against the real estate of the responsible party.

A certificate of lien signed by the commissioner must be sent by certified mail to the responsible party prior to being recorded and may be filed in the office of the clerk of the municipality in which the real estate is located. The lien is effective when the certificate is recorded with the registry of deeds for the county in which the real estate is located. The certificate of lien must include a description of the real estate, the amount of the lien and the name of the owner as grantor.
When the amount for which a lien has been recorded under this subsection has been paid or reduced, the commissioner, upon request by any person of record holding interest in the real estate that is the subject of the lien, shall issue a certificate discharging or partially discharging the lien. The certificate must be recorded in the registry in which the lien was recorded. Any action of foreclosure of the lien must be brought by the Attorney General in the name of the State in the Superior Court for the judicial district in which the real estate subject to the lien is located.

     Sec. 36. 38 MRSA §570, first ¶, as amended by PL 1991, c. 817, §29 and affected by §30, is further amended to read:

     Because it is the The intent of this subchapter is to provide the means for rapid and effective cleanup and to minimize direct and indirect damages as well as indirect damages and the proliferation of 3rd-party claims. Accordingly, each responsible party is jointly and severally liable for all disbursements made by the State pursuant to section 569-A, subsection 8, paragraphs B, D, E, H and J, or other damage incurred by the State, including interest computed at 15% a year from the date of expenditure, except for costs found by the commissioner to be eligible for coverage under the fund and damage for injury to, destruction of, loss of, or loss of use of natural resources and the reasonable costs of assessing natural resources damage. The commissioner shall demand reimbursement of costs and payment of damages that are not eligible for coverage by the fund to be recovered under this section and payment must be made promptly by the responsible party or parties upon whom the demand is made. If payment is not received by the State within 30 days of the demand, the Attorney General may file suit in the Superior Court and, in addition to relief provided by other law, may seek punitive damages as provided in section 568. Notwithstanding the time limits stated in this paragraph, neither a demand nor other recovery efforts against one responsible party may relieve any other responsible party of liability.

     Sec. 37. 38 MRSA §585-D, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 358, §1, is amended to read:

     2. Ozone transport region adoption. Jurisdictions comprising more than 60% of the total registrations of new passenger cars and light-duty trucks in the ozone transport region have adopted a low-emission vehicle program that meets the requirements of the federal Clean Air Act, Section 177, 42 United States Code, Section 7507 and the first model year required to meet standards under the low-emission vehicle program in any of those states is not later than motor vehicle model year 1998 2000. For purposes of this paragraph, "ozone transport region" means the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont, and the consolidated metropolitan statistical area that includes the District of Columbia.

     Sec. 38. 38 MRSA §585-D, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 358, §1, is amended by adding a new paragraph at the end to read:

     The commissioner shall complete a study of zero-emission vehicles and submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resources matters no later than January 1, 2000. This study must include an examination of zero-emission vehicle technology, price, performance and consumer acceptability and implementation issues relating to use of those vehicles in the State. The study must recommend any rulemaking necessary for the board to establish a zero-emission vehicle program that is appropriate for the State and a schedule that provides the automobile manufacturers with a minimum 2-year lead time prior to implementation of such a program. Any rules establishing a zero-emission vehicle program are major substantive rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A.

     Sec. 39. 38 MRSA §1318-B, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1995, c. 642, §10, is further amended to read:

     1. Reporting. Except as provided in this subsection, the responsible party or person causing the discharge shall report a discharge immediately to the Department of Public Safety, which shall immediately notify the Commissioner of Environmental Protection and the public safety agency of the municipality in which the discharge takes place. Upon submission to the commissioner of a written spill prevention control and clean-up plan that meets the criteria of section 1318-C, subsection 1, a discharge containing a hazardous matter that is covered by the plan must be reported only if the discharge equals or exceeds the applicable reportable quantity for that particular hazardous matter as specified in Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40, Parts 302.4, 302.5 and 302.6 (b)(1)), revised as of July 1, 1994 1996, or when the discharge extends or spreads beyond the area on the site covered by the spill prevention control and clean-up plan.

     Sec. 40. 38 MRSA §1319, sub-§1, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1979, c. 730, §2, is amended to read:

     Sec. 41. 38 MRSA §1319-U, sub-§4, as reallocated by PL 1987, c. 517, §20, is amended to read:

     4. Procedure. The Attorney General may seek forfeiture of a conveyance according to the procedure set forth in Title 22 15, section 2387 5822, subsections 4, 5 and 6 with the following exceptions.


charged with enforcement of federal and state laws relating to the handling of hazardous waste.

Effective September 19, 1997, unless otherwise indicated.

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