# Maine LD 297: An Act Regarding the Management of Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge at the State-owned Landfill

Maine LD 297, An Act Regarding the Management of Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge at the State-owned Landfill, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by William Bridgeo (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-06-20 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 373) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD297-132
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maine LD 297
- State: Maine
- Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act Regarding the Management of Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge at the State-owned Landfill
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-30
- Last action: 2025-06-20, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 373
- Sponsor: William Bridgeo (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: SOLID WASTES, SOLID WASTES - MANAGEMENT
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 12 (394 yes, 334 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Temporary bulky waste rules at state landfill: benefit, low. From June 23, 2023 to July 1, 2027, some extra residue from C&D processing can count as in‑state waste at a state‑owned landfill. Up to 25,000 tons in any 12 months of oversized bulky waste (like appliances, furniture, and mattresses) can be disposed and count as in‑state. Another 75,000 tons in an…
- Small funding boost for waste cleanup: benefit, low. The Department of Environmental Protection gets $150,000 in 2025–26 and $150,000 in 2026–27. The money comes from Other Special Revenue Funds tied to tipping fees. The funds let the department spend added revenue on remediation and waste management work.
- Rising recycling targets for big debris plants: cost, medium. Large construction-and-demolition (C&D) processing plants must recycle or reuse more of what they take in. This applies only to facilities that ran in 2018, took only C&D debris, and accepted over 200,000 tons that year. The minimum reuse/recycle rates are 15% by July 1, 2026; 20% by July 1, 2027;…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: William Bridgeo (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Michael Soboleski (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-06-16 | House | RECEDE | fail | 49 | 94 |   |
| 2025-06-16 | Senate | ENACTMENT | pass | 24 | 10 |   |
| 2025-06-12 | Senate | RECONSIDER | fail | 13 | 21 |   |
| 2025-06-12 | Senate | INDEFINITELY POSTPONE | fail | 9 | 26 |   |
| 2025-06-12 | Senate | ADOPT SENATE AMENDMENT (S-392) to LD 297 | pass | 24 | 9 |   |
| 2025-06-12 | Senate | PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED | pass | 25 | 10 |   |
| 2025-06-11 | House | Enactment - Emer | fail | 85 | 57 |   |
| 2025-06-11 | Senate | ACCEPT MAJORITY OUGHT TO PASS AS AMENDED REPORT | pass | 22 | 10 |   |
| 2025-06-11 | Senate | INDEFINITELY POSTPONE | fail | 7 | 25 |   |
| 2025-06-11 | Senate | ADOPT SENATE AMENDMENT (S-324) to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT | fail | 13 | 19 |   |
| 2025-06-11 | Senate | PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED | pass | 23 | 9 |   |
| 2025-06-09 | House | ACC MAJ OTP AS AMENDED REP | pass | 100 | 44 |   |

## Actions (14)

- 2025-06-20: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 373
- 2025-06-16: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 571 Yeas 24 - Nays 10 - Excused 1 - Absent 0 (Senate)
- 2025-06-16: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-16: Motion of Representative ANKELES of Brunswick, to RECEDE FAILED.ROLL CALL NO. 511(Yeas 49 - Nays 94 - Absent 6 - Excused 2)Subsequently, the House RECEDED and CONCURRED to PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-537) and Senate Amendment "A" (S-392) ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-13: On motion by Senator STEWART of Aroostook RECONSIDERED PASSAGE TO ENACTED On motion by Senator STEWART of Aroostook RECONSIDERED PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED On motion by Senator STEWART of Aroostook Senate Amendment "A" (S-392) READ and ADOPTED. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 502 Yeas 24 - Nays 9 - Excused 2 - Absent 0 Motion by Senator BENNETT of Oxford to RECONSIDER ADOPTION of Committee Amendment "A" (H-537) FAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 503 Yeas 13 - Nays 21 - Excused 1 - Absent 0 Motion by Senator BENNETT of Oxford INDEFINITELY POSTPONE Bill and accompanying papers FAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 504 Yeas 9 - Nays 26 - Excused 0 - Absent 0 Subsequently, PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (H-537) AS AMENDED BY Senate Amendment "A" (S-392) thereto, in NON-CONCURRENCE. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 505 Yeas 25 - Nays 10 - Excused 0 - Absent 0 Sent down for concurrence (Senate)
- 2025-06-12: Speaker laid before the HouseSubsequently, Representative FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor WITHDREW his motion to RECONSIDER whereby the Bill FAILED PASSAGE TO BE ENACTED.Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-12: On motion by Senator STEWART of Aroostook RECONSIDERED PASSAGE TO ENACTED On motion by Senator STEWART of Aroostook RECONSIDERED PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED On motion by Senator STEWART of Aroostook Senate Amendment "A" (S-392) READ and ADOPTED. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 502 Yeas 24 - Nays 9 - Excused 2 - Absent 0 Motion by Senator BENNETT of Oxford to RECONSIDER ADOPTION of Committee Amendment "A" (H-537) FAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 503 Yeas 13 - Nays 21 - Excused 1 - Absent 0 Motion by Senator BENNETT of Oxford INDEFINITELY POSTPONE Bill and accompanying papers FAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 504 Yeas 9 - Nays 26 - Excused 0 - Absent 0 Subsequently, PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (H-537) AND Senate Amendment "A" (S-392) , in NON-CONCURRENCE. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 505 Yeas 25 - Nays 10 - Excused 0 - Absent 0 Sent down for concurrence (Senate)
- 2025-06-11: Unfinished Business (House)
- 2025-06-11: FAILED PASSAGE TO BE ENACTED.This being an emergency measure, a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to the House being necessary, a total was taken.ROLL CALL NO. 440(Yeas 85 - Nays 57 - Absent 7 - Excused 2)Representative FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor, MOVED to RECONSIDER whereby the Bill FAILED PASSAGE TO BE ENACTED.Further motion of the same Representative, TABLED pending his motion to RECONSIDER.Later today assigned. (House)
- 2025-06-11: Taken from the table by the President Subsequently, The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-537) Report ACCEPTED. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 444 Yeas 22 - Nays 10 - Excused 3 - Absent 0 Bill READ ONCE. Committee Amendment "A" (H-537) READ. Motion by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland to ADOPT Senate Amendment "A" (S-324) to Committee Amendment "A" (H-537) FAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 445 Yeas 13 - Nays 19 - Excused 3 - Absent 0 Motion by Senator BENNETT of Oxford to INDEFINITELY POSTPONE Bill and accompanying papers FAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 446 Yeas 7 - Nays 25 - Excused 3 - Absent 0 Senator Bennet OBJECTED to Second Reading of the Bill Subsequently, Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME. PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (H-537) in concurrence. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 447 Yeas 23 - Nays 9 - Excused 3 - Absent 0 (Senate)
- 2025-06-10: Report READ Senator TEPLER of Sagadahoc moved to ACCEPT The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-537) Report. On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending Motion by Senator TEPLER of Sagadahoc to ACCEPT The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-537) Report in concurrence. Unfinished Business (Senate)
- 2025-06-09: Reports READ.On motion of Representative DOUDERA of Camden, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.ROLL CALL NO. 356(Yeas 100 - Nays 44 - Absent 5 - Excused 2)The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (H-537) was READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-537). Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 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. (House)
- 2025-01-30: Received by the Clerk of the House on January 30, 2025.The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401. (House)

## Bill text

- Amendment C-A (H-537), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0197&item=2&snum=132)
- Amendment S-A (S-392), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0197&item=6&snum=132)
- Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0197&item=8&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0197&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 (H-537), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0197&item=2&snum=132)
- [Amendment S-A (S-392), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0197&item=6&snum=132)
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0197&item=8&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0197&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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD297-132 (as of 2026-10-19).