Environmental group trying to change waste rule that benefits Lewiston company

SUN JOURNAL • July 10, 2020

After failing through legislation, an environmental group is petitioning the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to change a rule that allows waste from out of state to be sent to Maine landfills. If successful, the change would force a Lewiston company to close, according to its owners. The environmental coalition, Don’t Waste Maine, and the nonprofit Toxics Action Center argue a “loophole” in the state’s waste regulations allows out-of-state waste to be funneled through processing facilities in Maine, including ReEnergy Lewiston LLC, making it eligible for disposal in state-owned landfills.