130th MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 129 LR 405(02)
Resolve, To Protect Consumers of Public Drinking Water by Establishing Maximum Contaminant Levels for Certain Substances and Contaminants
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
Committee: Health and Human Services
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Fiscal Note
State Mandate - Exempted
State Mandates
Required Activity Unit Affected Local Cost
Requires schools that are regulated as nontransient, noncommunity water systems under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act: 1) to conduct initial monitoring for the level of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS; 2) to perform quarterly or annual monitoring if PFAS contaminants are above a certain level,  and 3) engage in mitigation if PFAS contaminants are in excess of the United States Environmental Protection Agency health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion. School Significant statewide
Pursuant to the Mandate Preamble, the two-thirds vote of all members elected to each House exempts the State from the constitutional requirement to fund 90% of the additional costs.
Fiscal Detail and Notes
According to data provided by the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Environmental and Community Health, there are approximately 280 schools that are regulated as nontransient, noncommunity public water systems in the State.  The department indicates that lab costs for analysis of a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl sample can range between $150 and $300.  Also, the testing method (EPA 537.1) requires that a Quality Assurance field blank sample be analyzed with each PFAS sample, which may bring the total cost to an individual school to $600 per test.  If remediation is required, the cost to individual schools could range from $10,000 to $100,000 depending on the size of the school.
Any additional costs to the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt the changes in this bill are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.