Committee supports Sen. Millett bill to inform public of local air contamination

AUGUSTA — A bill introduced by Sen. Rebecca Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth, LD 1706, “An Act To Ensure Public Notification of Air Quality Violations” received support of the Legislature’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday. The bill would ensure municipalities are notified of air quality violations.

Earlier this year, South Portland learned of a consent decree filed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency which resulted from its findings that Global Partners LP has been violating the federal Clean Air Act for more than a decade at its petroleum storage facility on the Fore River. No information regarding these violations had been shared with the municipality, including the residential neighborhoods abutting these facilities.

“Ensuring impacted communities are notified of air quality violations is a matter of transparency and public health,” said Sen. Millett. “I am pleased the committee has supported this commonsense measure.”

LD 1706 will ensure the local municipalities have the information they need to keep their citizens informed of any impacts in their community.

“Since a notice of violation is generally associated with more significant violations that should be resolved in a timely manner to avoid harm, or threatened harm, to public health, safety, or the environment, the Department does not disagree with the request to notify affected communities whenever such a notice is issued,” said Eric Kennedy, Director of Licensing and Compliance for the Bureau of Air Quality at the Maine DEP.

The bill now faces votes before the Maine Senate and House.

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