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)
After the largest toxic foam spill in state history at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station last month, Maine’s congressional delegation is asking the U.S. Navy to work with state and local officials to aid in the clean-up and help address the potential for future incidents.
Although the facility is now known as Brunswick Landing and overseen by the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, the Navy still owns certain areas, including hangar four where the spill occurred.
U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat, is leading the charge. In a letter to Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro Monday, all four delegates including independent U.S. Sen. Angus King, who lives in Brunswick, Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, wrote that their constituents “are deeply concerned about the short and long-term health and environmental impacts of this spill, as well as potential future incidents, since [aqueous film forming foam, or AFFF] remains at the site.”
The letter outlines the dangers posed by the forever chemicals — perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS — present in the discharged fire suppression foam and asked the Navy to commit to helping with the clean up. PFAS have been linked to serious long-term health problems including cancer, weakened immune systems, developmental issues, and more.
Additionally, the delegation asked to be briefed on the Navy’s involvement in the spill’s clean up at Del Toro’s earliest convenience.
The Navy had planned to remove the foam from hangar four this month, which is still scheduled as some remains. Foam also remains in hangar six, which has raised concern from local officials and residents because it is located closer to the water district. That foam is not scheduled for removal.
The action from federal leaders comes almost a week after state Rep. Dan Ankeles (D-Brunswick) submitted three bill titles to the Maine Legislature aimed at removing and better regulating forever chemical-laden firefighting foam.
The 1,450 gallons of PFAS-riddled foam that mixed with 50,000 gallons of water constitutes the sixth largest AFFF spill in the U.S. in the past 30 years. But even before that, the area was a hotbed for the known carcinogen. Shortly after the spill, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued new freshwater fish consumption advisories for the region that were based on pre-spill samples.
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