LD502

Promotes clean and affordable Maine-sourced bioenergy by amending outdoor wood boiler regulations.

This bill amends Maine law to promote clean and affordable Maine-sourced bioenergy by modifying regulations on outdoor wood boilers and outdoor pellet boilers. It establishes a voluntary, technology-forcing emission standard for particulate matter emissions, exempting compliant boilers from property setback requirements. The bill also prohibits the Department of Environmental Protection from adopting rules that ban smoke plume emissions from outdoor wood boilers, regardless of whether the plume remains on the owner's property or crosses onto adjacent land or buildings.