APPROVED CHAPTER
FEBRUARY 29, 2024 509
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR
_____
H.P. 1320 - L.D. 2058
An Act Regarding Compliance with Environmental Permit and License
Application Requirements
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §344, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1991, c. 804, Pt. B, §2 and
affected by §7, is further amended to read:
1. Acceptance and notification. The commissioner shall notify the applicant in
writing of the official date on which the application was accepted as complete for
processing or the reasons the application was not accepted. If a written notice of acceptance
or nonacceptance is not mailed to the applicant within 15 working days of receipt of the
application, the application is deemed to be accepted as complete for processing on the
15th working day after receipt by the department. If the application is not accepted, the
commissioner shall return the application to the applicant with the reasons for
nonacceptance specified in writing. A reason for nonacceptance of an application may
include, but is not limited to, submission of the application after the activity requiring a
permit or license pursuant to this Title has begun if the applicant knowingly violated a
requirement to obtain the permit or license for the activity or the applicant, within the 5
years immediately preceding the submission of the application, violated a requirement to
obtain a permit or license pursuant to this Title. Any applicant whose application has not
been accepted by the commissioner shall attend a presubmission meeting with the
department before resubmitting that application. The commissioner shall notify the board
of all applications accepted as complete.
An application is acceptable as complete for processing if the application is properly filled
out and information is provided for each of the items included on the form. Acceptance of
an application as complete for review does not constitute a determination by the department
on the sufficiency of that information and does not preclude the department from requesting
additional information during processing.
The commissioner shall require the applicant to provide notice to the public for each
application for a permit or license accepted. The commissioner shall solicit comments from
the public for each application in a manner prescribed by the board in the rules.
Page 1 - 131LR2662(03)
All correspondence notifying an applicant of denial of an application by the board or
commissioner must be by certified mail, return receipt requested.
Page 2 - 131LR2662(03)


Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 2058, HP 1320: 38.344
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 509: 38.344