The Efficiency Maine Trust proposed amendments to rules governing the implementation of the Electric Efficiency and Conservation Programs. The amendments would reflect changes to the Efficiency Maine Trust Act addressing activities related to beneficial electrification and the inclusion of cost-effective measures in the determination of maximum achievable cost-effective resources; and legislative changes to goals that the Trust must advance in its triennial plans and criteria for conservation programs. A hearing will be held December 19, 2023.

The Public Utilities Commission proposed amendments to regulations governing customer net energy billing. The amendments would amend the Net Energy Billing rule to reflect recently enacted legislation. A hearing will be held December 20, 2023. Comments are due January 5, 2024. See https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules/notices/2023/112923.html.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission adopted amendments to regulations governing small generator interconnection procedures. The amendments implement requirements of "An Act to Support the Continued Access to Solar Energy and Battery Storage by Maine Homes and Businesses," make changes to facilitate the interconnection process for all levels of generation facilities, and add provisions related to export control and energy storage.

The Pollution Control Board adopted amendments to regulations governing primary drinking water standards. The amendments are “identical in substance” to regulations adopted by EPA in the second half of 2020 and first half of 2021, and include 17 additional alternate test procedures for analyzing contaminants in drinking water. See https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/index/register/volume47/register_volume47_46.pdf (pp. 16486-17195).

The Department of Public Health and Environment adopted amendments to regulations governing greenhouse gas emissions and energy management for manufacturing. The amendments reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the industrial and manufacturing sector and make necessary revisions to reduction strategies for the Energy Intensive, Trade-Exposed Manufacturing Source Audit Program.

The Department of Public Health and Environment adopted California's Advanced Clean Cars II standards, including new zero emission light-duty vehicle sales requirements for model years 2027-2032 and new low emission vehicle emission standards for new conventionally fueled light- and medium-duty vehicles for the same period. See https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/Upload/AGORequest/AdoptedRules02023-00417.docx.

The Energy Commission proposed amendments to regulations governing appliance efficiency regulations. The proposed amendments would revise data submittal requirements and processes; eliminate redundancy in the marking requirement for commercial and industrial fans and blowers; streamline the Commission's product compliance review, enforcement, and administrative proceedings; and make administrative and non-substantive changes for improved clarity and consistency. A hearing will be held January 9, 2024. Comments are due January 8, 2024.

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment added coal-tar pitch, fluoro-edenite fibrous amphibole, and silicon carbide whiskers to the list of chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer (Proposition 65). See https://oal.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/166/2023/11/2023-Notice-Register-Number-46-Z-November-17-2023.pdf (p. 1520).

The Department of Water Resources proposed amendments to the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance. The amendments would incorporate two new statutory provisions requiring a plant legend with photographs for inspection and references to water-conserving irrigation equipment standards. A hearing will be held January 9, 2024. Comments are due January 16, 2024.

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment proposed a new health-protective concentration (HPC) for noncancer effects of hexavalent chromium in drinking water. The draft technical support document proposed an HPC of 5 parts per billion. A workshop/webinar will be held January 8, 2024. Comments are due the same date.