Steve Levesque was the executive director of both the Brunswick Local Redevelopment Authority and the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority from 2006 until 2021. He briefly returned to assist with MRRA’s transition following former Brunswick Executive Airport Director Kristine Logan’s resignation.

Like everyone, I was shocked by the accidental release of PFAS-containing firefighting foam in a hangar at Brunswick Executive Airport in the early morning of Aug. 19, 2024.

I was also very saddened and disappointed by the statements of a number of public officials on the issue. With the completion of the “Root Cause” analysis of the release, it’s important to provide some “firsthand” historical and factual context to the overall issue and help set the record straight.

Contrary to statements made by several public officials at the time and following the accidental release, the actual record clearly demonstrates that the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA) was neither negligent in its firefighting system maintenance efforts, reticent in its efforts to manage the emerging PFAS issue, nor obtuse to the environmental factors on the former base.

As its first and long-time executive director of the NAS Brunswick redevelopment effort, I have a unique perspective on the history of managing environmental issues while trying to revitalize a former military installation. I was engaged to lead the effort in early 2006, following the 2005 announcement that the Navy base was to be closed.

From day 1, we recognized the critical need to integrate strong environmental and land use planning principles into a realistic and achievable economic development plan. Accordingly, the Reuse Master Plan process involved a comprehensive understanding of the existing environmental conditions of the base property and a very inclusive public engagement process.

In keeping with the original reuse plan vision and its focus on environmental protection and sustainability, the multipurpose campus of Brunswick Landing now hosts a combination of civic, educational, residential, renewable energy, airport and business uses, with significant public open space and natural resource protection areas.

To date, the former base properties host over 150 business entities, employment of over 2,500 people in good high-paying jobs and a residential population of over 3,000. The redevelopment effort of the former base now generates nearly $7 million annually in local real estate and personal property taxes.

Moreover, it also serves as a principal catalyst for the economic revitalization of the local and regional economy, particularly in the Cooks Corner area and downtown Brunswick. That’s why the NAS Brunswick redevelopment effort is recognized as one of the most successful military base revitalization efforts in the state and country.

Since the very beginning, we actively worked with the town, the Navy, the Maine DEP and the EPA in managing all the various legacy environmental issues, while addressing the legislatively mandated redevelopment of the former base properties. To that end, we particularly focused on the emerging PFAS issue, primarily associated with the historical use in firefighting foam at the former base by the Navy.

Note, while PFAS was an emerging containment of concern nationally, it was not declared a hazardous substance by the EPA until 2024.

Given our growing concern about this emerging contaminant and its potential impact on the community and Brunswick Landing campus, we engaged with these partners to continue to address this issue. Most notably, we participated in the state’s initial PFAS Task Force proceedings and asked the town and DEP to partner on the development of a new stormwater management plan.

Over the past several years, MRRA has been actively engaged with the town and state fire departments, the Navy, the FAA and firefighting industry experts to identify suitable replacement technologies for aircraft hangar firefighting. While PFAS-containing foam
was and still is the standard for aircraft firefighting technology, MRRA was actively
seeking alternatives prior to the release.

Only recent changes to the national fire codes now permit water-based alternatives for aircraft firefighting. Now that it’s allowed, MRRA has removed all the PFAS-containing firefighting foam in the airport hangars and is working on replacing all its firefighting systems.

MRRA actively works with the Navy, the DEP, the EPA and the town on all environmental management issues associated with the redevelopment project. This partnership was critically important during the comprehensive response to the release, as well as area well monitoring, groundwater modeling, etc.

Diligent ongoing and real-time communication among all parties is essential to effectively addressing emerging issues and maintaining the momentum of this amazing economic revitalization effort in Midcoast Maine.

As determined by the “Root Cause” analysis from Poole Associates, an independent firefighting expert, the unfortunate release resulted from a fault in an electronic sensing unit, and was not associated with any type of negligent maintenance issue. Unfortunately, a similar incident occurred in Detroit at the Spirit Airlines hangar several months ago.

Now that the root cause of the release has been determined, I can only hope the officials who were so critical will find it in their hearts to correct their statements and all can move forward to better support MRRA’s legislatively mandated mission. It’s very sad these statements forced the resignation of Kristine Logan, a very talented and emerging leader in the state.