State environmental officials say they support a two-year suspension of new restrictions on out-of-state waste.
Maine's wastewater treatment plants faced a near-crisis earlier this year after the company that operates the state-owned Juniper Ridge Landfill reduced the amount of sludge it accepted. Casella Waste Systems blamed a new state law that limited its access to oversized, bulky waste that Casella uses to mix with the liquid sludge to stabilize the landfill.
Commissioner Melanie Loyzim with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection says the agency supports a bill temporarily lifting those restrictions on bulkier waste from other states.
"Postponing the requirements of chapter 626 keeps the pressure on these goals while providing short-term flexibility to meet an immediate need: to safely treat Maine's wastewater," Loyzim said during a hearing on Monday.
Loyzim told lawmakers on Monday that a two-year delay will give the DEP more time to explore longer-term options for disposing of sludge other than in Juniper Ridge landfill.
