EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0732*
SENATE BILL 732
M3 5lr2468
CF HB 909
By: Senator Love
Introduced and read first time: January 27, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Sewage Sludge Utilization Permits – Per– and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances – 2
Concentration Limits 3
FOR the purpose of requiring certain sewage sludge utilization permits issued or renewed 4
by the Department of the Environment to limit the concentration of certain per– and 5
polyfluoroalkyl substances to certain levels; establishing requirements for the 6
demonstration of compliance with the limits established under this Act; authorizing 7
the Department to establish certain additional limits by regulations; and generally 8
relating to sewage sludge utilization permits. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Environment 11
Section 9–201(a), (k), (l), (n), and (t) and 9–231 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2014 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 14
BY adding to 15
Article – Environment 16
Section 9–231.1 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2014 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 19
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENER AL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21
Article – Environment 22
9–201. 23
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 24
2 SENATE BILL 732
(k) “Sewage” means: 1
(1) Any human or animal excretion or water–carried domestic waste; or 2
(2) A mixture of industrial waste and any of the things in item (1) of this 3
subsection. 4
(l) “Sewage sludge” means any thickened liquid, suspension, settled solid, or 5
dried residue that a sewage treatment plant extracts from sewage. 6
(n) “Sewage sludge utilization permit” means a permit, issued by the Department, 7
to utilize sewage sludge. 8
(t) “Utilize sewage sludge” means to collect, handle, burn, store, treat, or 9
transport sewage sludge to or from a sewage sludge generator or utilizer in this State, to 10
apply it to land, or to dispose of it. 11
9–231. 12
(a) A person shall have a sewage sludge utilization permit before the person 13
utilizes sewage sludge in this State. 14
(b) A person shall have a separate sewage sludge utilization permit for each site 15
where the person utilizes sewage sludge. 16
9–231.1. 17
(A) A SEWAGE SLUDGE UTILIZ ATION PERMIT ISSUED OR RENEWED BY THE 18
DEPARTMENT FOR THE AP PLICATION OF SEWAGE SLUDGE TO AGR ICULTURAL LAND 19
SHALL LIMIT THE TOTAL CONCENTRATION OF PERFLUOROOCTANE SULFONIC ACID 20
(PFOS) OR PERFLUOROOCTANOIC ACID (PFOA) TO THE LESSER OF : 21
(1) 1 MICROGRAM PER KILOGR AM; 22
(2) THE LEVEL ESTABLISHED IN HEALTH –BASED STANDARDS 23
ADOPTED BY THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY; OR 24
(3) THE LEVEL ESTABLISHED IN REGULA TIONS ADOPTED BY THE 25
DEPARTMENT UNDER SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION. 26
(B) (1) COMPLIANCE WITH THE LIMITS ESTABLISHED U NDER 27
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE DEMONSTRATED BY AN ANALYSIS OF A 28
SAMPLE OF THE ENTIRE QUANTITY OF SEWAGE SLUDGE TO BE LAND APPLIED , 29
PERFORMED : 30
SENATE BILL 732 3
(I) BY AN INDEPENDENT LAB ORATORY OR OTHER 1
LABORATORY ACCEPTABL E TO THE DEPARTMENT ; 2
(II) USING STANDARDS , PROCEDURES , AND METHODS THAT 3
ARE ACCEPTABLE TO TH E DEPARTMENT ; AND 4
(III) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS 5
SUBSECTION, NOT MORE THAN 14 DAYS BEFORE THE DATE OF THE LAND 6
APPLICATION. 7
(2) A SAMPLE MAY BE ANALYZ ED MORE THAN 14 DAYS BEFORE THE 8
DATE OF LAND APPLICA TION IF THE SEWAGE S LUDGE IS: 9
(I) HAULED DIRECTLY FROM THE SEWAGE SLUDGE 10
GENERATOR TO THE FIE LD; AND 11
(II) NOT STORED OFF –SITE OR MIXED WITH A NY OTHER 12
MATERIAL PRIOR TO LA ND APPLICATION . 13
(C) THE DEPARTMENT MAY ADOPT REGULATIONS TO ESTAB LISH: 14
(1) FOR PFOS AND PFOA, CONCENTRATION LIMITS THAT ARE MORE 15
STRINGENT THAN THE LIMITS SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTION (A)(1) AND (2) OF THIS 16
SECTION; AND 17
(2) CONCENTRATION LIMITS FOR PER– AND POLYFLUOROALKYL 18
SUBSTANCES OR OTHER SUBSTANCES THAT ARE NOT LISTED IN SUBSEC TION (A) OF 19
THIS SECTION. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 21
October 1, 2025. 22