Bill > HB925

This bill establishes new regulations for the land application of sewage sludge, which is the residue extracted from sewage treatment plants, to limit the presence of certain harmful chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Specifically, starting October 1, 2028, sewage sludge with a total concentration of regulated PFAS above 50 parts per billion (ppb) will be prohibited from being applied to agricultural or marginal land. If the concentration is between 25 and 50 ppb, additional restrictions will apply, including specific application rates and notification requirements to landowners and local governments. The bill also allows for "commingling," which means mixing treated sewage sludge with other materials to reduce the PFAS concentration to below 25 ppb, but this process must follow specific monitoring protocols and is limited to a one-year period for mass balance calculations. Furthermore, sewage sludge generators that produce sludge with PFAS concentrations of 25 ppb or higher must conduct a "source tracking study" to identify the origins of these chemicals and develop a "mitigation plan" to reduce them, with a timeline of up to five years for implementation. The bill also addresses pretreatment standards for industrial users that discharge PFAS into wastewater treatment systems and requires the Department of the Environment to provide guidance and technical assistance.