History / Timeline
Image: runoff into lake.
July 1, 1997. Maine Stormwater Management Law is effective.
December 31, 1997. Chapters 500 and 502 (rules) become effective.
By July 1, 1998, the Commissioner is required by Ch. 500 to develop amendments that, at a minimum, include an updated list of rivers, streams and brooks. Department feels it has insufficient data to proceed in 1998, and does not propose amendments.
By 2000, DEP has sufficient data to proceed in proposing standards for rivers, streams and brooks, and has also identified a number of needed improvements to the program, based upon implementation experience.
Early 2003. DEP proposes bill to the Legislature. See LD 1866 (off-site). The bill was amended (S-441).
May 27, 2003. The enacted law takes effect in May and requires the Department to report back with recommendations for updating Maine's stormwater program by February 2, 2004, after consulting with stakeholders. See PL 2003, ch. 318, sec. 5 (off-site).
May 2003. Department convenes stakeholder group, which meets monthly through January 2004, including technical and policy subgroups. Stormwater Group Page. Group agrees on "guiding principles", and discusses but does not reach consensus on specifics.
February 2, 2004. Department submits report to legislature titled "Improving the Effectiveness of Stormwater Management in Maine", including draft legislation to support future rulemaking changes.
July 1, 2004. Board of Environmental Protection posts draft revisions of Chapters 500 and 502 to public hearing.
July 30, 2004. Effective date of legislation (PL 2003, ch. 607) requiring the Department to provisionally adopt rules to regulate stormwater management, and to submit a bill no later than January 2, 2005 that would resolve inconsistencies between those rules and statute.
August 19, Public hearing on proposed revisions to Chapters 500 and 502.
November 4, 2004. Board of Environmental Protection provisionally adopts updated versions of Chapter 500 and 502.
May 3, 2005. The Legislature's Committee on Natural Resources voted on the following two bills, ought-to-pass as amended (unanimous).
1. LD 625. Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Chapter 500.... (off-site) Text of amendments passed by the committee (unofficial copy from DEP).
2. LD 1558, An Act Concerning Stormwater Management (off-site) One minor amendment was made by the Committee. The amendment modifies the new language on what would not be considered a "significant existing source" (Sec. 7 of the bill) by adding the words in bold below:
(3) A municipal storm water conveyance system unless the storm water pollution originates with the conveyance system.
September 22, 2005. The Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) voted in favor of final adoption.
November 16th, 2005. Effective date of revised rules.
Related page: Stormwater Group Page
