# Maine LD 1207: An Act to Amend the Site Location of Development Laws to Require a 100-foot Buffer Between Solar Energy Developments and Rivers, Streams and Brooks

Maine LD 1207, An Act to Amend the Site Location of Development Laws to Require a 100-foot Buffer Between Solar Energy Developments and Rivers, Streams and Brooks, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Russell J. Black (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-23 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 106) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1207-132
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maine LD 1207
- State: Maine
- Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act to Amend the Site Location of Development Laws to Require a 100-foot Buffer Between Solar Energy Developments and Rivers, Streams and Brooks
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-03-20
- Last action: 2025-05-23, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 106
- Sponsor: Russell J. Black (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 9
- Subjects: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPT, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPT - PROCEDURES
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Solar projects must stay 100 feet from streams: mixed, low. The law requires a 100-foot buffer for ground-mounted solar near rivers, streams, and brooks. Developers cannot build facilities within this zone. Covered projects use ground-mounted solar panels, including generating and associated facilities. Vegetation removal for shade management is allowed wit…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Russell J. Black (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Bruce Bickford (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Caldwell Jackson (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Chad Perkins (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Dean Cray (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jeffrey L. Timberlake (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mark Babin (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Mark Cooper (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Randall Hall (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Timothy Guerrette (Republican), House

## Actions (8)

- 2025-05-23: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 106
- 2025-05-21: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-05-20: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-05-14: CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAYUnder suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-65).In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-05-13: Report READ and ACCEPTED.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-65) READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-65).Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-03-21: CARRIED OVER, in the same posture, to the next special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 519. (Senate)
- 2025-03-20: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES.In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-03-20: Committee on ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence (Senate)

## Bill text

- Amendment C-A (S-65), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0496&item=2&snum=132)
- Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0496&item=3&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0496&item=1&snum=132)

## Related bills

- LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program (failed)
- LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement (failed)
- LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families (failed)
- LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (failed)
- LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State Employees (failed)
- LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit (failed)

## Sources
- [Amendment C-A (S-65), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0496&item=2&snum=132)
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0496&item=3&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0496&item=1&snum=132)

## Related
- [LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1522-132)
- [LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2067-132)
- [LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1665-132)
- [LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retiremen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1872-132)
- [LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1611-132)
- [LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1294-132)
- [Maine bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine/bills)
- [Maine state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1207-132 (as of 2026-10-17).