Sen. Reny’s “Maine Yankee” bill is signed into law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUGUSTA — On Tuesday, April 2, Gov. Janet Mills signed legislation into law that would prohibit Maine Yankee from avoiding property tax payments in Wiscasset. LD 2027, “An Act to Clarify the Property Tax Exemption for the Air Pollution Control Facilities,” otherwise known as the “Maine Yankee Bill,” sponsored by Sen. Cameron Reny, D-Bristol, seeks to defend residents of Wiscasset from corporate abuse of tax exemptions meant to serve air pollution control facilities.

“With this bill being signed into law, Wiscasset residents can breathe a sigh of relief,” said Sen. Reny. “The taxpayers will not be unfairly burdened with a tax bill that should be paid by Maine Yankee and the federal government.”

Maine Yankee is a decommissioned nuclear power plant and is currently an ISFSI, an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Facility that stores nuclear waste in Wiscasset. Maine Yankee was trying to establish an exemption from property taxation by registering as an air pollution control facility. If Maine Yankee’s exemptions would have been allowed, it would have created a fiscal emergency for the town by opening the door for massive loss in revenue.

With this new law, the legislature assured Mainers that a facility meant to store spent nuclear fuel or radioactive waste classified by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission as a greater-than Class C waste, may not be considered an air pollution control for the purposes of property tax exemption.

As an emergency measure, the bill went into effect immediately upon being signed into law.