Maine Code § 38-1319-R

Facility siting
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1. Licenses for hazardous waste facilities. The department shall issue a license for a hazardous
waste facility whenever the department finds that the facility will not pollute any water of the State,
contaminate the ambient air, constitute a hazard to health or welfare or create a nuisance. Licenses must
be issued under the terms and conditions as the department prescribes and for a term not to exceed 5
years. The department may establish reasonable time schedules for compliance with this subchapter
and rules promulgated by the board.
A. The department must find that:
(1) The applicant presents evidence of sufficient financial capacity, including projections of
utilization of the facility by hazardous waste generators, to justify granting the license;
(2) Issuing the license is consistent with the applicable standards, requirements and procedures
of this chapter;
(3) In the case of a disposal facility, the volume of the waste and the risks related to its handling
have been reduced to the maximum practical extent by treatment and volume reduction prior
to disposal; and
(4) If corrective action required by section 1319-V can not be completed by an applicant prior
to issuance of a license, the applicant has the financial capacity to undertake and complete the
corrective action. [PL 1991, c. 66, Pt. A, §39 (RPR).]
B. The department shall issue an interim license for a waste facility for hazardous waste or shall
deem the facility to be so licensed if:
(1) The waste facility is in existence on April 1, 1980, or the waste facility is in existence on
the effective date of statutory or regulatory changes that first render the facility subject to the
requirement to have a license under this subchapter;

(2) The owner or operator has within 60 days of first becoming subject to the license
requirements of this subchapter:
(a) Notified the commissioner of the location of the facility;
(b) Provided a detailed description of the operation of the facility;
(c) Identified the hazardous waste that the facility handles; and
(d) Applied for a license to handle hazardous waste;
(3) The waste facility is not altered or operated except in accordance with the board's rules;
(4) The waste facility has a discharge or emission license under section 414 or 591 and the
facility is operated in accordance with that license; and
(5) The facility was not previously denied a noninterim hazardous waste license or an interim
license has not expired pursuant to paragraph C, subparagraphs (2) to (6). [PL 1991, c. 66,
Pt. A, §39 (RPR).]
C. Interim licenses expire on the earliest of the following dates:
(1) The date of the final administrative disposition of the application for a hazardous waste
facility license;
(2) The date of a finding of the department that the disposition referred to in subparagraph (1)
was not made because of the applicant's failure to furnish information reasonably required or
requested to process the application;
(3) The date of expiration of the license issued under section 414 or 591;
(4) The date on which the application for a noninterim hazardous waste facility license is due
if the person operating under the interim license fails to apply for that noninterim license;
(5) For interim licenses issued prior to November 8, 1984, unless the owner or operator of the
facility has filed a complete application with the commissioner before one of the following
dates and that application demonstrates compliance with all applicable ground water and
financial responsibility requirements:
(a) November 8, 1985, for a land disposal facility;
(b) November 8, 1986, for a hazardous waste incinerator; or
(c) November 8, 1989, for any facility other than a land disposal facility or hazardous
waste incinerator; or
(6) Twelve months after the facility first becomes subject to the permit requirements of this
subchapter unless the owner or operator of the facility has filed a complete application with the
commissioner before that date and that application demonstrates compliance with all applicable
ground water and financial responsibility requirements. [PL 1991, c. 66, Pt. A, §39 (RPR).]
D. If the commissioner determines based on documentation received from an electronics
demanufacturing facility licensed by the department that the facility meets the provisions of this
paragraph, the commissioner may allow the facility to undertake the controlled breakage of cathode
ray tubes. If the commissioner does not approve or deny the facility's request to undertake
controlled breakage of cathode ray tubes within 30 calendar days of receiving the documentation,
the facility may undertake controlled breakage of cathode ray tubes in accordance with the
provisions of this paragraph.
(1) The facility shall ensure that no crushing or treatment of universal waste or hazardous
subcomponents occurs other than dismantling except that controlled breakage of cathode ray
tubes may be performed in a manner protective of public health and safety and the environment.

Controlled breakage of cathode ray tubes may occur only in a dedicated space with ventilation
equipment that prevents the release of fugitive emissions to adjacent areas. Lead and cadmium
concentrations immediately outside the dedicated space may not significantly exceed
background levels of lead and cadmium concentrations or current ambient air quality standards
for the State. The facility shall determine background levels through monitoring. The facility
shall meet the conditions listed in 40 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 261.39 (2010). As
used in this subparagraph, "fugitive emissions" has the same meaning as in section 582,
subsection 7-C-1.
(2) The facility shall obtain certification from an environmental and safety program approved
by the department and submit proof of certification to the department, except that if a facility
has not completed certification, controlled breakage of cathode ray tubes may begin prior to
certification if:
(a) The facility provides information to the department on its process of achieving
certification, including a detailed gap analysis; and
(b) The controlled breakage is monitored by an environmental professional to ensure
environmental and safety standards are met.
(3) The facility shall develop a written operating manual specifying how to safely break
cathode ray tubes. The operating manual must be available to all employees at the facility and
include:
(a) Operating and maintenance procedures developed in accordance with any related
manufacturer's specifications;
(b) Procedures for testing and monitoring of equipment;
(c) Procedures to address emergency situations, including, but not limited to, procedures
to address lead and cadmium hazards, waste handling and equipment failure;
(d) Procedures to assess whether surrounding areas will be negatively affected either by
physical proximity to or air exchange with a heating, ventilation and air conditioning
system;
(e) Procedures for proper waste management practices; and
(f) Procedures for employee training to ensure employees have been trained in operation
and maintenance of equipment, including, but not limited to, engineering controls to
mitigate hazardous waste releases and personal protective equipment use.
The department shall adopt rules to implement this paragraph. Rules adopted pursuant to this
paragraph are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. [RR 2021,
c. 2, Pt. A, §133 (COR).]
[RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §133 (COR).]
2. Municipal ordinances. Municipalities may enact necessary police power ordinances dealing
with commercial hazardous waste facilities, provided that the ordinances are not more stringent than or
duplicative of the hazardous waste provisions of this chapter or rules and orders promulgated by the
board or commissioner. The department shall incorporate all applicable local requirements to the fullest
extent practicable.
[PL 1989, c. 890, Pt. A, §40 (AFF); PL 1989, c. 890, Pt. B, §263 (AMD).]
3. Site review. All persons who make application for a license to construct, operate or substantially
expand a commercial hazardous waste facility shall give, at the same time, written notice to the
municipal officers of the municipality in which the proposed facility will be located. The municipality
through its municipal officers is granted intervenor status in any proceeding for site review of a

commercial hazardous waste facility. The commissioner shall reimburse the municipalities' direct
costs, not to exceed $5,000, for participation in the proceedings.
The Governor may appoint a person to facilitate communications between the applicant and the
municipality and between the department and the municipality.
The State may accept public and private funds from any source for the purpose of carrying out
responsibilities under this section.
Notwithstanding section 341-D, subsection 2, the board shall decide all applications for commercial
hazardous waste facilities.
The board shall hold at least one public hearing in the municipality in which the facility will be located.
During any proceeding for site review of a commercial hazardous waste facility, the legislative body
of the municipality in which the facility is to be located may appoint 4 representatives to the board. If
the facility is proposed to be located in an unorganized township, the county commissioners of that
county may appoint 4 representatives. These representatives may vote on board decisions related to
the proposed commercial hazardous waste facility. All representatives appointed under this subsection
shall participate on the board only for that site review, until final disposition of the application,
including any administrative or judicial appeals. A license application may not be considered by the
board unless all municipal members of the board and the municipality have been given written notice
of the board meeting and provided copies of all written recommendations of the department, at least 30
days prior to the date of the meeting. The municipal members are entitled to the same pay for each day
and expenses as regular board members during the period of their service, to be paid by the department.
[PL 1991, c. 205 (AMD).]
4. Municipal fees authorized. A municipality, by ordinance, may levy a fee on a commercial
hazardous waste facility located in the municipality. These fees must be applied as a percentage of the
annual billings of the facility to its customers. No fee so levied may exceed 2% of the annual billings.
The municipality may audit the accounts of a facility to determine the amount of the fee owed to the
municipality. Payment of the fee by the facility to the municipality is a condition of any license
approved under this section.
[PL 1991, c. 205 (AMD).]
5. Application. Except for substantial expansion, this section does not apply to any facility granted
an interim or final license prior to September 18, 1981.
[PL 1989, c. 890, Pt. A, §40 (AFF); PL 1989, c. 890, Pt. B, §263 (AMD).]
6. Post-closure licenses. When the board determines that a facility under the jurisdiction of this
subchapter does not have and will not be issued a license pursuant to this subchapter, the board may
issue a license containing terms and conditions governing the post-closure requirements applicable to
the facility, including, but not limited to, environmental monitoring and corrective action. The findings
in subsection 1, paragraph A, subparagraphs (1), (2) and (3) are not required for post-closure licenses.
[PL 1997, c. 624, §19 (AMD).]
7. Criteria for facility development. In addition to other criteria established by law or rule for
facilities under this section, the following criteria for facility development apply to an application for
treatment, storage and disposal facilities for hazardous waste.
A. The applicant has the financial capacity and technical ability to develop the project in a manner
consistent with state environmental standards. [PL 1993, c. 383, §37 (NEW).]
B. The applicant has provided adequately for fitting the project harmoniously into the existing
natural environment and has ensured that the project will not adversely affect existing uses, scenic
character, air quality, water quality or other natural resources in the municipality or in neighboring
municipalities. [PL 1993, c. 383, §37 (NEW).]

C. The proposed project does not pose an unreasonable risk that a discharge to significant ground
water aquifer will occur. [PL 1993, c. 383, §37 (NEW).]
D. The project will be built on soil types suitable to the nature of the undertaking and will not
cause unreasonable erosion of soil or sediment. [PL 1993, c. 383, §37 (NEW).]
E. The applicant will provide adequately for traffic movement of all types into, out of or within
the project area. The department shall consider traffic movement both on site and off site including
public safety and congestion along waste conveyance transportation routes. The Department of
Transportation shall provide the department with an analysis of traffic movement of all types into,
out of or within the project area. [PL 1993, c. 383, §37 (NEW).]
F. The applicant has provided adequately for utilities including water supplies, sewerage facilities,
solid waste disposal and roadways required for the project and has ensured that the project will not
have an unreasonable adverse effect on the existing or proposed utilities and roadways in the
municipality or area served by those services. [PL 1993, c. 383, §37 (NEW).]
G. The project will not unreasonably cause or increase the flooding of the alteration area or adjacent
properties nor create an unreasonable flood hazard to a structure. [PL 1993, c. 383, §37 (NEW).]
[PL 1993, c. 383, §37 (NEW).]
8. Prohibition. The department may not issue a license for a hazardous waste disposal facility or
any commercial hazardous waste facility if the proposed facility overlies a significant ground water
aquifer or a primary sand and gravel recharge area.
[PL 1993, c. 383, §37 (NEW).]

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