Maine Governor Vetoes BPA Disclosure Measure

Maine Governor Paul LePage (R) has reportedly vetoed legislation (LD 1181)
that would have required food companies with more than $1 billion in
annual sales to disclose their use of priority chemicals such as bisphenol A
(BPA) to the state. According to his July 8, 2013, veto letter, LePage rejected
the measure for lack of funding, writing that lawmakers failed to allocate
adequate resources for the program’s administration. He also noted that the
bill would have established the actions of other states as “credible scientific
evidence,” “regardless of whether other states use scientific analyses to reach
their conclusions,” while asking Maine agencies “once again to re-visit which
chemicals are considered of ‘high concern.’”

“In addition, the federal government, through potential amendments to the
Toxic Substances Control Act, may be exploring reasonable and consistent
measures to address these concerns,” concluded LePage, who previously
supported legislation designed to strengthen Maine’s Priority Chemicals laws.
“I am willing to engage further in such dialogue but the bill as drafted goes
too far and constituted an unfunded mandate.” See The Bangor Daily News,
June 20, 2013.

Issue 490