AUGUSTA – A bill that would require all retail developments of 75,000 square feet and bigger to undergo an independent impact study cleared its first hurdle in the State House.

The State and Local Government Committee voted Monday to send the bill, LD 1810, to the House for action once its amendments are formally drafted and approved.

If passed, developers of sizable retail projects would have to pay $40,000 to an independent consultant who would assess the project for its impact on a town’s economy, jobs, wages, services and taxes. One of the proposed amendments would shorten the time frame for the study from six months to three.

Locally, there’s room for another 500,000 square feet of retail development around the Auburn Mall area; in Lewiston, a new 200,000-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter was announced three months ago as the anchor for a new 35-acre retail complex near Exit 80.

– Carol Coultas