Latest news with #AFFF
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
PFAS bills introduced in Brunswick spill aftermath receive sweeping support, await funding
Approximately 1,600 gallons of foam containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, was accidentally discharged at Brunswick Executive Airport's hangar 4 on Aug. 19, 2024. (AnnMarie Hilton/ Maine Morning Star) Though there are still funding details to sort out, a slate of proposals brought forward after 1,500 gallons of toxic firefighting foam concentrate spilled in Brunswick last August have been backed by the Maine Legislature. 'Since August 19, 2024, hardly a day has gone by where our delegation hasn't put work into an entire suite of legislation both to help Brunswick recover and, even more importantly, to make sure that what happened to us cannot happen anywhere else,' said Rep. Dan Ankeles (D-Brunswick) on the House of Representatives floor earlier this month. On Wednesday, the Senate passed the last of a package of three bills that Ankeles crafted in the aftermath of the spill to help rid Maine of Aqueous Film Forming Foam, also known as AFFF, which was historically used for firefighting and has been linked to harmful effects to humans and the environment. Accidents not waiting to happen The final proposal to receive initial passage votes would establish a voluntary, statewide takeback program for the foam. The Senate approved LD 222 30-0, and it will now go back to each chamber for final enactment votes. AFFF contains perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, which has been linked to serious long-term health problems including cancer. Knowing these concerns, the state restricted use of the foam in 2021, but it is still stored at airports, fire stations and other industrial sites throughout the state. Ankeles' bills received sweeping bipartisan support from the Legislature's Environment and Natural Resources Committee, as well as the chambers at large. However, two of the bills have been sent to the budget committee to determine whether they will be funded. Another bill in the package, LD 407, directs the quasi-governmental agency that manages the airport where the spill happened, called the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, to stop using and get rid of the toxic firefighting foam that is still at the site. Since the bill doesn't tap into state funds, Ankeles said he's working with the agency to secure the funding it will need to get rid of the chemicals. 'Getting this resolve to the chief executive's desk will help my constituents — and Rep. [Cheryl] Golek's constituents just a couple of streets over — rest a tiny bit easier knowing that the toxic AFFF will never again be deployed in our community,' Ankeles said last week before the bill received a 128-14 vote in the House. LD 407 received final enactment votes this week and will be sent to Gov. Janet Mills for her approval. Ankeles' two bills awaiting funding are meant to not only protect Brunswick but all Maine communities from future toxic spills. Those two proposals are LD 400, which will create a publicly available inventory of the firefighting foam in the state, and LD 222. These will not only help the state know how much of the toxic foam still exists, but also assist fire departments that don't have the budgets to properly dispose of it. After approval from both chambers, LD 400 was placed on the special appropriations table in late April with a fiscal note of about $86,000 annually for the next two years. That money would be used to cover the cost of a new position to compile the inventory. While it is now up to the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, Ankeles said he is hopeful it will get funded after he worked with the Department of Environmental Protection to find a way to fund the proposal without using the state's general fund. With a $5 million fiscal note, LD 222 will likely also end up on the appropriations table. It will first go back to the House for a final enactment vote and then return to the Senate. Since the bill asks for one-time funding rather than ongoing support, Ankeles hopes that will put it in a better position to be funded in a tight budget-cycle. However, he said he is also going to advocate for the Environment and Natural Resources Committee to rank LD 222 as the committee's top priority to receive funding from the budget committee. Of all the bills the committee worked on this session that will cost money, Ankeles said this takeback program could have the 'biggest impact.' 'It will create the infrastructure with a single spending action that is not ongoing and the state will be able to get rid of every drop of this terrible poison,' he said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
3M to pay NJ $450 million over PFAS water contamination including Sayreville site
New Jersey has reached a historic settlement of up to $450 million with 3M over 'forever chemicals' contaminating state water supplies, including a site in Sayreville. The settlement announced May 13 by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette is the largest statewide PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances) settlement in New Jersey history. The settlement resolves lawsuits dating to 2019 over the Chambers Works site in Pennsville and Carneys Point, Salem County and the Parlin site in Sayreville. 'Corporate polluters must be held accountable when they contaminate our state's water supply," Platkin stated. "For decades, 3M knew that their PFAS chemicals were forever contaminating the New Jersey environment. But they continued to pollute the environment and escape accountability. That ends now.' Platkin said New Jersey has some of the highest levels of PFAS in the country. 'Today's settlement marks the latest chapter in our office's efforts to combat PFAS contamination and protect access to clean water, he said. 'We look forward to pursuing everyone else who had a role in contaminating New Jersey with PFAS.' PFAS are a broad class of chemicals used in nonstick, water- and grease-resistant products such as clothing and cookware. More: Middlesex County native pens book on forever chemicals and their birth in New Jersey PFAS are referred to as 'forever chemicals' because they do not break down and last in the environment for years. Long-term exposure has been associated with health problems related to cholesterol levels, liver, kidney, immune system, the reproductive system in men, as well as developmental delays in infants and children. The settlement also resolves the state's claims against 3M in litigation over PFAS in the firefighting material known as aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). 'The makers of PFAS forever chemicals knew how poisonous these substances were, yet they produced and thoughtlessly released them into New Jersey's environment anyway,' LaTourette stated. 'This historic settlement marks another step toward holding polluters accountable for dangerous PFAS contamination that has wrought havoc on our water supplies, injured our natural resources, and threatened the public health. The damages we recover from 3M will help fund New Jersey's nation-leading PFAS abatement efforts.' The settlement outlines a payment schedule over 25 years, with a total value of up to $450 million. Email: sloyer@ Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. This article originally appeared on 3M to pay NJ $450M over PFAS water contamination including Sayreville
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Proposed bill would restructure Brunswick Landing leadership, require environmental stewardship
Apr. 15—A bill introduced Friday would reshape the leadership of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, the organization responsible for Brunswick Landing. If passed, the bill would amend the goals of the authority to require it to engage in "environmental stewardship." It would also restructure the authority's board of trustees, an 11-member body appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Legislature. Brunswick Landing is the site of an August 2024 firefighting foam spill that released 51,450 gallons of foam laced with toxic forever chemicals. The redeveloped naval air base is now home to businesses, residences and the Brunswick Executive Airport. MRRA was established by state law to manage the transition of the former air station, which was decommissioned in 2011. The bill would increase membership of the MRRA's board of trustees to 14 members by: — Adding a voting member appointed by the chairperson of the Brunswick Town Council. — Requiring the governor to appoint an additional commissioner of a state department to the body. — Adding a nonvoting member who is a senator or representative from Brunswick or Topsham. The law currently states that at least seven appointees to the board of trustees must be residents of Androscoggin, Cumberland or Sagadahoc counties. It also states that one member should be a commissioner of a department of state government. Charlotte Mace, director of the Maine Office of Business Development, currently sits on the board. The bill would remove the requirement that seven appointees represent Androscoggin, Cumberland or Sagadahoc counties. Instead, at least four appointees would be required to be residents of Brunswick, Brunswick town officials or Brunswick business owners. The bill also would remove certain permitting exemptions around environmental impacts that apply to Brunswick Landing as a former military facility. It would also remove liability exemptions that MRRA board members and employees hold in case of another environmental incident. Another section requires any transfers of property within the former base to be subject to the Maine Uniform Environmental Covenants Act, which provides a structure for environmental land use. The bill, LD 1637, proposed by state Senate President Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick, is co-sponsored by Maine Reps. Dan Ankeles and Poppy Arford, both D-Brunswick, among others. "MRRA's work directly impacts the health and well-being of Brunswick and its immediate neighbors," Daughtry said in an emailed statement about the bill. "LD 1637 will finally give community members a true say in what happens on the former naval air base and provide vital public health and environmental protections. It also stands as a powerful reminder that the absence of transparent, responsible governance can have serious, real-world consequences." Brunswick lawmakers are also backing 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). Asked for comment Monday, MRRA Executive Director Daniel Stevenson said he was reviewing the bill. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Brunswick Landing removes toxic foam from airport hangar
Apr. 15—The authority in charge of Brunswick Landing has removed firefighting foam containing forever chemicals from one of its airport hangars. Hangar 6 held 975 gallons of aqueous film-forming foam concentrate, or AFFF, containing a toxic PFAS chemical compound known as PFOS. A malfunction at Brunswick Executive Airport's Hangar 4, which is owned by the Navy but operated by Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, dumped 1,450 gallons of AFFF concentrate mixed with 50,000 gallons of water last summer. The spill prompted ongoing cleanup and monitoring efforts as well as a push to get rid of the foam at the airport in Brunswick and across the state. Concern grew around Hangar 6, which some have speculated is leaking harmful chemicals based on the testing data around the airport that Friends of Merrymeeting Bay has collected over the years, though a company hired to assess risk at the hangar said there is no leak. The authority had previously turned off the AFFF system in Hangar 6 on March 28 and installed updated fire suppression methods that do not use PFAS-containing foam. According to a news release from MRRA, the authority worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Engineer Research and Development Center to remove the foam concentrate. The ERDC is evaluating how to properly destroy the foam, the release states. "This partnership showcases a proactive approach to addressing environmental concerns and finding solutions for complex issues," said MRRA Executive Director Daniel Stevenson. "The testing of alternative technologies reflects a dedication to research and development in order to mitigate the impact of PFAS contamination on the environment and threat to public health." Maine has struggled to determine how to dispose of its stockpile of toxic AFFF. The most common disposal methods — incineration, landfilling and deep underground storage — all have drawbacks. Following the August spill, cleanup company Clean Harbors trucked 12,500 gallons of foam and tainted rinse water to its incinerator outside of Sarnia, Ontario, and 10,000 gallons to its incinerator in El Dorado, Arkansas. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
At least three bills to bolster PFAS remediation efforts headed to full Legislature
Drums containing Aqueous Film Forming Foam, also known as AFFF. (Photo by Brendan Bullock) Two legislative committees advanced bills this week that would continue the state's pioneering efforts to address the spread of and contamination by so-called forever chemicals. The legislation will now go before the Maine House of Representatives and Senate to be voted on for passage. The proposals build on the Legislature's work in the last five years to address the impact of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, which has been linked to serious long-term health problems including cancer. These efforts include a phased-in ban on most goods and products with intentionally added PFAS. Awareness of the toxic chemicals has increased as the state has worked to remediate agricultural land contaminated by the state-sanctioned spreading of PFAS-laden sludge. The high level of exposure among the firefighting community has also recently become more apparent, particularly after 1,600 gallons of firefighting foam concentrate containing PFAS spilled in Brunswick last summer. The Legislature's Environment and Natural Resources Committee held a work session Wednesday to discuss a suite of proposals from Rep. Dan Anekeles (D-Brunswick) about the prevalence of Aqueous Film Forming Foam, also known as AFFF, across the state. Two of the three bills received unanimous support from the committee members who were present, with two members absent for the votes. The committee backed LD 400, which calls for a statewide inventory of AFFF, with some changes to ensure it would be publicly accessible on the Office of the Maine State Fire Marshal website. Brunswick lawmaker introduces bills to address PFAS-laden firefighting foam The state does not currently know how much AFFF remains in storage throughout the state, or where it is held, but during the public hearing on the bill, Maine Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Melanie Loyzim said there is an estimated 50,000 gallons of foam remaining in the state; however, that is based on limited data the department attempted to gather a handful of years ago. Because State Fire Marshal Shawn Esler said he would like to start as soon as possible, the start date for the inventory was moved up to begin on or before Nov. 1, 2025. However, the bill does not have an emergency preamble so it wouldn't officially take effect until 90 days after the Legislature adjourns. Though he supports the intent of the bill, Esler testified against the legislation during the public hearing. But he told the committee Wednesday that his concerns were rooted in the timelines for conducting the inventory and starting the takeback program outlined in LD 222, which would help local fire departments that don't have the budgets to properly dispose of the foam. The committee also moved up dates for the inventory to be completed to Nov. 1, 2026 for public entities and one year after that for private entities. The inventory would need to be submitted to the Legislature by Jan. 1, 2028. Those changes will help with concerns over the logistics of conducting an inventory as well as developing and implementing a foam take-back program by July 2027, which also passed the committee by unanimous vote. Ankeles' package of PFAS bills also included a ban on AFFF from all properties owned, leased or managed by the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, a quasi-governmental agency that manages the former naval base where the Brunswick spill occurred. The bill proposes the ban start on Jan. 1, 2026. However, the committee tabled LD 407 until next week. On his third day in the job, the new MRRA Executive Director Daniel Stevenson told the committee he would need more time to raise the money needed to remove the foam concentrate still on site. Though MRRA would also like to see it removed, Stevenson worries the agency couldn't raise the necessary funds to meet the deadline outlined in the bill. Since MRRA is quasi-governmental, lawmakers questioned whether the state would be responsible for the funding to remove the existing foam, which the committee analyst is planning to look into ahead of the next meeting. The Legislature's Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee also voted to advance a bill from Sen. Henry Ingwersen (D-York) to enshrine in statute Maine's existing response program for PFAS contamination on farmland, which has been touted as a national leader. The PFAS Response program currently has seven full-time staff members who provide technical and financial assistance to more than 80 farms with varying levels of contamination. There is also a three-person PFAS Fund team that provides financial support, research and access to health services. The legislation revises the fund to make it more efficient and effective. As part of a state buyback program to give farmers an option to move off contaminated land, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry recently purchased more than 100 acres in Palermo for $333,000 using relief fund dollars, the Portland Press Herald reported. Most committee members voted in favor of LD 130, but Rep. Caldwell Jackson (R-Oxford) opposed the bill out of fear it would put Maine farmers at a disadvantage over those in other states who may not be subject to the PFAS product limits that are outlined in the legislation. Legislative committees also held public hearings for other PFAS-related proposals. The Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee heard from Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Cumberland) about her proposal to require health insurance carriers to cover blood tests for PFAS when they are deemed medically necessary. And Rep. Reagan Paul (R-Winterport) introduced a bill to the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee seeking to require an operator of a solar or wind energy development to test for PFAS contamination at the development site. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
