The Environment and Natural Resources Committee unanimously endorsed bills to catalog, collect and dispose of Maine’s stockpike of toxic firefighting foam.
PFAS
Posted inLocal & State, News
Maine makes first purchase of farm contaminated by forever chemicals
The state tapped its PFAS relief fund to spend $333,000 to buy a Palermo hay field where sewage sludge was once spread as fertilizer that tested 3 times above the state’s recommended level for safe dairy forage.
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Posted inLocal & State, News
Get toxic firefighting foam out of Maine, lawmakers told
Residents of Brunswick Landing, the site of Maine’s worst toxic firefighting foam spill, joined environmental groups to urge lawmakers to quantify the amount of foam in Maine and fund a voluntary program to collect, store and dispose of it.
Posted inTimes Record
Brunswick Landing authority picks new leader in midst of spill cleanup
Daniel Stevenson will become the new executive director of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA) on March 3, replacing Steve Levesque, who filled in after former Director Kristine Logan resigned in the wake of August’s chemical spill.
Posted inLocal & State, News
New administration sparks uncertainty for Brunswick PFAS spill cleanup
Local officials are waiting for what comes next at the federal level while they continue to grapple with a toxic chemical spill.
Posted inBusiness, Health, Local & State, Politics
Maine members of Congress pushing to eliminate trade penalty on PFAS-free outerwear
Because of a loophole, water-resistant clothing made with harmful ‘forever chemicals’ qualifies for a lower import tax. New legislation seeks to change that.
Posted inKennebec Journal, Local & State, News
Hallowell’s PFAS problem won’t be solved by Augusta valve, official says
Residents will likely have to wait several more years to have at-home access to PFAS-free drinking water.
Posted inLocal & State, News
With funds running out, Maine is at a PFAS crossroads
A multiagency presentation before lawmakers warns of the difficulty the state will face trying to meet the needs of residents adversely affected by the spreading of sewage sludge containing forever chemicals.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State
A PFAS-free fire suppressant made with Maine wood could fight wildfires
The chemical-free extinguisher could move to the market — and onto firefighting airplanes — quickly. But getting it certified will take time and money.
Posted inLocal & State
PFAS contamination found on more than 100 Maine farms
The state’s ambitious multiyear investigation into PFAS contamination from sludge-based fertilizer is not yet halfway done, but costs are mounting as new federal protections arise from mounting scientific evidence of potential human health risks.