Committee advances miscellaneous ag bill to phase in hazardous-waste EPR, expand paint stewardship and extend Ryegate deadlines

The Agriculture Committee met May 28 to review amendments to a miscellaneous agriculture bill that would (1) phase in a covered household hazardous‑products extended producer responsibility program, (2) expand a paint stewardship program to include additional paint‑related products and set statutory consumer fees, and (3) extend statutory deadlines for the Ryegate biomass power plant by one year.

The changes matter because they affect municipalities that run hazardous‑waste collection, manufacturers who will participate in stewardship organizations, consumers who may see statutory fees on some paint sales, and Ryegate employees and regional utilities tied to the plant's power‑purchase agreement.

Senator Watson, who presented the amendment, said it “really does 3 things,” describing a staged rollout for the covered household hazardous‑products EPR that begins with a simple registration and moves to an initial three‑year plan before transitioning to a full plan. Under the amendment, stewardship organizations must register on or before July 1, 2025, and provide more complete registration information beginning July 1, 2026. The initial three‑year plan is intended to let manufacturers and implementers identify which products will be covered and coordinate collection while the program ramps up.

Legislative counsel summarized key program mechanics: the initial plan focuses on registration, “free statewide collection,” and collection‑plan funding; the fuller plan — six months after ANR approval — will set out performance goals and how municipalities are compensated. The…