AUGUSTA, Maine — A new state law about to take effect is aimed at preventing the state from missing deadlines for the relicensing of dams.
The Legislature approved the law after the Maine Department of Environmental Protection missed three federal deadlines. Democratic Rep. Jeff McCabe, the assistant House majority leader, said that resulted in the state losing its power to weigh in on water quality issues for those waterways.
McCabe said in a statement that the new law, which takes effect on Friday, will require the agency to develop plans for meeting the relicensing deadlines and sharing those plans with a legislative committee.
McCabe says the DEP worked with him in crafting the legislation.