Sec. 2. PL 1999, c. 500, §§3, 5 and 6 are amended to read:

Sec. 3. Rulemaking; interim mercury discharge limits. The Department of Environmental Protection shall promptly adopt rules, including emergency rules as necessary, that specify procedures, including statistically valid sampling procedures, to be used in establishing interim discharge limits pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 38, section 420, subsection 1-A, paragraph B. The procedures may provide for the use of sampling data collected prior to adoption of the rules as long as the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Methods 1631 and 1669 were used. It is not necessary for the department to amend existing waste discharge licenses in order to establish these interim discharge limits. The discharge limits remain in effect until October 1, 2001 2003. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules under Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A.

Sec. 5. Reports. The Department of Environmental Protection shall submit reports to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resources matters by January 14, 2000 15, 2002 and January 15, 2001 2003 on the status of mercury discharges from facilities subject to mercury discharge limits pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 38, section 420, subsection 1-A, paragraph B and the status of the facilities' efforts to implement mercury pollution prevention plans.

Sec. 6. Statewide criteria for mercury. The Department of Environmental Protection shall develop proposed statewide criteria for mercury that are protective of human health, aquatic life and wildlife. In developing the criteria, the department shall consider all available information, including standards developed by other states, the Great Lakes region and the United States Environmental Protection Agency and any information provided by the Department of Human Services, Bureau of Health. The department shall submit its recommendations to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resources matters by January 15, 2001 2003, together with any implementing legislation. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resources matters may report out legislation regarding mercury to the First Regular Session of the 120th 121st Legislature.

SUMMARY

This bill extends the interim mercury discharge limits established by the Department of Environmental Protection from October 1, 2001 to October 1, 2003 and adjusts other dates to be consistent with this extension, including the date when the Department of Environmental Protection is to submit its recommendations for a new statewide criteria for mercury.