A bill that would require the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to publicly share the most stringent standards available on PFAS contamination received initial approval by a Maine legislative committee Tuesday.

Introduced last week by Maine Rep. Poppy Arford, D-Brunswick, LD 1786 is among several “forever chemicals” bills that lawmakers will consider this session following a catastrophic firefighting foam spill at the Brunswick Executive Airport in August 2024. The spill released 1,450 gallons of aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, containing a toxic PFAS chemical known as PFOS, mixed with 50,000 gallons of water.

According to a news release from Arford, when the spill occurred, the DEP distributed materials that cited the PFOS standard in drinking water as 20 parts per trillion, although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard was stricter, at 4 parts per trillion at the time.

The proposed bill would require the DEP to post the most stringent standards on its website and share that information directly by email, mail or telephone with well owners who may be affected by PFAS contamination. It would also require the department to communicate up-to-date and clear test results and a list of resources available for remediation, testing and financial assistance.

The legislature’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee voted unanimously on Tuesday to advance LD 1786, which will face additional votes in the House and Senate.

Even trace amounts of the forever chemicals that make up the bulk of the foam are considered a public health risk, according to federal regulators. High exposure over a long time can cause cancer. Exposure during critical life stages, such as in early childhood, can also cause life-altering harm.

Several Brunswick residents and advocates submitted testimony to the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources supporting the bill.

Amy Self, a Brunswick resident who discovered her well was contaminated with PFAS following the spill, told the committee she initially thought her water was safe to drink based on information from the DEP, only to find out that testing showed PFAS levels more than 2.5 times the EPA standard.

“Imagine waking up each morning, only to be greeted by the unsettling truth that the water flowing from your tap — water you rely on for drinking, cooking and bathing — is contaminated. Each sip is accompanied by an agonizing fear that it might be harming you or your loved ones,” Self said. “This fear is not without merit. PFAS, commonly known as ‘forever chemicals,’ are associated with numerous health issues, including cancer, hormone disruption and immune system damage.”

The bill is co-sponsored by state Rep. Dan Ankeles, D-Brunswick, in addition to legislators from Cumberland, Yarmouth, Harpswell and other surrounding towns.

Brunswick lawmakers have backed three bills intended to prevent another accidental release of AFFF. The bills call for a statewide foam inventory (LD 400); a state-run voluntary foam collection, storage and disposal program (LD 222); and removal of foam concentrate that remains at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station (LD 407).

Another bill, LD 1637, would reshape the leadership of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, the organization in charge of Brunswick Landing, to add more oversight by members of the Brunswick community.