Title 22, Title 22

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).] 1. Adulterated. "Adulterated" applied to a livestock or poultry product means that the livestock product or poultry product: A. Contains …

The commissioner shall implement a meat and poultry products inspection and licensing program that imposes and enforces requirements with respect to intrastate operations and commerce that are at least as stringent as those imposed and enforced under the federal acts with respect…

The commissioner shall adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Rules adopted under this section may incorporate by reference those provisions of the Code of Federal Regulations that are applicable to meat and poultry inspection, as such regulations may be amended, …

1. License or registration required. A person may not engage in intrastate commerce in the business of buying, selling, preparing, processing, packing, storing, transporting or otherwise handling meat, meat food products or poultry products, unless that person holds a valid licen…

1. Registration required. A person that is not licensed under section 2514 must register under this section if the person is a: A. Custom slaughterer, except that itinerant custom slaughterers who slaughter solely at a customer's home or farm and who do not own, operate or work a…

For the purpose of preventing the use in commerce of meat and meat food products and poultry and poultry products that are adulterated, the commissioner shall appoint inspectors to examine and inspect all livestock and poultry before they are allowed to enter into a slaughtering,…

The commissioner shall appoint inspectors to examine the carcasses and parts of carcasses of all livestock and poultry to be prepared at a slaughtering, meat-canning, salting, packing, rendering or similar official establishment in the State as articles of commerce that are useab…

1. Sealed. An inspection of products placed in a container at an official establishment is not considered complete until the products are sealed or enclosed under the supervision of an inspector. 2. Access to official establishment. For purposes of a product inspection required b…

1. Exemption for processing fewer than 1,000 birds annually. Notwithstanding section 2512 and whether or not the poultry are intended for human consumption, inspection is not required for the slaughter of poultry or the preparation of poultry products as long as the poultry are s…

1. Contract slaughtering. A commercial slaughterhouse licensed under section 2514 or a custom slaughterhouse registered under section 2514‑A, but not engaging in the custom slaughter of poultry, may enter into a contract with a poultry producer who otherwise meets the requirement…

1. Exemption for processing fewer than 1,000 rabbits annually. Notwithstanding section 2512 and whether or not the rabbits are intended for human consumption, inspection is not required for the slaughter of rabbits or the preparation of rabbit products as long as the rabbits are …

1. Review by inspector. The commissioner may require establishments that are required to be licensed under section 2514 or registered under section 2514‑A but are exempt from inspection under section 2512, subsection 2, paragraph K to be periodically reviewed by inspectors to ens…

The inspector may issue a stop sale or use order for any violation of this chapter or of the rules adopted pursuant to this chapter. A person receiving a stop sale or use order shall immediately remove the meat, meat food product or poultry or poultry product from sale or shall i…

If a livestock product or poultry product or a product exempted from the definitions of "livestock product" and "poultry product" or any dead, dying, disabled or diseased livestock or poultry is found by an authorized representative of the commissioner upon premises where it is h…

1. Investigation. The commissioner may: A. Gather and compile information and investigate the organization, business, conduct, practices and management of any person engaged in intrastate commerce and that person's business relationships; and [PL 1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).] B. Requi…

A method of slaughtering or handling in connection with slaughtering does not comply with the public policy of the State unless it is humane. Either of the following 2 methods of slaughtering and handling are humane: [PL 1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).] 1. Humane slaughter. In the case o…

The commissioner may: [PL 1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).] 1. Research. Conduct, assist and foster research, investigation and experimentation to develop and determine methods of slaughter and handling of livestock in connection with slaughter that are practicable with reference to the s…

For the purpose of preventing the inhumane slaughtering of livestock, the commissioner shall appoint inspectors to examine and inspect the method by which livestock are slaughtered and handled in connection with slaughter in the registered, licensed or official slaughtering estab…

This chapter may not be construed to prohibit, abridge or in any way hinder the religious freedom of a person or group. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, in order to protect freedom of religion, ritual slaughter and the handling or other preparation of livestoc…

1. Use as human food. A person may not, with respect to livestock, poultry or livestock products or poultry products: A. Slaughter any livestock or poultry or prepare products that are useable as human food at a registered, licensed or official establishment preparing the product…

1. Criminal violation. A person who violates this chapter or the rules adopted under this chapter for which no other criminal penalty is provided by this chapter commits a Class E crime. If the violation involves intent to defraud or any distribution or attempted distribution of …

After discovery of a violation of this chapter or the rules adopted under this chapter, the commissioner may take any additional action against the registered, licensed or official establishment that the commissioner determines appropriate, including instituting a proceeding unde…

1. Mark; simulation. A brand manufacturer, printer or other person may not cast, print, lithograph or otherwise make any device containing any official mark or simulation, any label bearing any mark or simulation or any form of official certificate or simulation except as authori…

1. Transportation in intrastate commerce. Any livestock product or poultry product of any dead, dying, disabled or diseased livestock or poultry that is being transported in intrastate commerce, is otherwise subject to this chapter or is held for sale in this State after transpor…

1. Appeal. An order issued under section 2512, subsection 1, paragraph C; section 2512, subsection 2, paragraph A, B or C; section 2514, subsection 6; or a decision issued by the commissioner under section 2514, subsection 6 is final unless appealed to Superior Court within 15 da…

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following words shall have the following meanings. [PL 1975, c. 751, §4 (NEW).] 1. Contaminant. "Contaminant" means any physical, chemical, biological or radiological substance or matter in water. 1-A. Administr…

This chapter establishes a system designed to help ensure public health; to allow the State, municipalities and public water systems to identify significant public water supplies and strive for a higher degree of protection around source water areas or areas that are used as publ…

The department shall charge the average cost of the analysis for any examination, testing or analysis required under this chapter and performed in the departmental diagnostic laboratory. The fees must be recalculated and deposited according to section 565, subsection 3 and sectio…

1. Purpose. The Legislature finds that there is a growing threat to the State's drinking water from a variety of contaminants or properties and that testing of private residential water supplies is necessary to protect the public health. The Legislature recognizes that certain te…

Any person required under this chapter to submit samples of water to the department for analysis shall pay the shipping charges thereon.

Any school, which takes water from a source other than a public water system and uses such water for drinking or culinary purposes, shall submit samples of such water to the department for analysis at least once during each school year. Such samples shall be analyzed by the depar…

A roadside spring is not a public water system if it does not serve an average of at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year.

1. Definition. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, "school" means a private school as defined in Title 20‑A, section 1, subsection 22 or a public school as defined in Title 20‑A, section 1, subsection 24. 2. Lead testing. To the extent the department …

To carry out this chapter, the commissioner is authorized and empowered to: [PL 1975, c. 751, §4 (NEW).] 1. Agreements. Enter into agreements, contracts or cooperative arrangements under such terms and conditions as the commissioner considers appropriate with other state, federal…

The department shall develop plans, with the advice and assistance of the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness and of the public water systems of the State, for emergency conditions and situations that may endanger the public health or welfare by contamination of drinking water. Such…

The department shall approve the facilities, techniques, testing methods and training of personnel of any laboratories that analyze water samples to determine compliance with State Primary Drinking Water Regulations. Such approval shall be based on the capability of the laborator…

1. Information on private water supply contamination. The department shall provide information and consultation to citizens who: A. Make reports of potential contamination of private water supplies; and [PL 1983, c. 837, §2 (NEW).] B. Request information on potential ground water…

Whenever the cost of testing a private residential water supply exceeds $150 and that testing is conducted pursuant to section 2602‑A, the department shall seek to recover the costs of the testing above $150 from the person responsible for contaminating the water supply, or from …

1. Establishment; administration. The Maine Drinking Water Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund," is established as provided in this section. A. The fund is established as a nonlapsing fund to provide financial assistance, in accordance with subsection 2, for the acquis…

1. State primary drinking water regulations. The commissioner shall promulgate and enforce primary drinking water regulations which are necessary to protect the public health and which shall apply to all public water systems. Such regulations shall include: A. Identification of c…

1. Construction or alteration of public water systems. New construction, additions or alterations involving the source, treatment or storage of water in any public water system may not commence until the plans and specifications have been submitted to and approved by the departme…

1. Authority. The commissioner is authorized to ensure that all new community water systems and new nontransient, noncommunity systems commencing operation after October 1, 1999 demonstrate technical, managerial and financial capacity with respect to each state primary drinking w…

1. Variances. The commissioner may grant one or more variances from an applicable state primary drinking water regulation to a public water system if the variance will not result in an unreasonable risk to the public health and if: A. Because of the characteristics of the raw wat…

1. Determination of imminent hazard. An imminent hazard shall be considered to exist when there is a violation of the state primary drinking water regulations, or when, in the judgment of the commissioner, a condition exists in a public water system or water supply which will cau…

1. Notification. A public water system shall notify the public of the nature and extent of possible health effects as soon as practicable, but not later than the time period established under subsection 4, if the system: A. Is not in compliance with a state drinking water rule; […

1. Annual reports to customers. The commissioner shall require each community water system, as defined in section 2660‑B, subsection 2, to prepare and provide to each customer of the system at least once annually a consumer confidence report, which must include, but is not limite…