Brunswick Executive Airport. (Photo by Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star)
The Brunswick Town Council requested that by the end of September the agency that manages Brunswick Executive Airport shut off its fire suppression system that uses foam laden with forever chemicals, after the system accidentally went off in late August and released more than 1,000 gallons of the toxic material.
But the agency, the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA), failed to meet that deadline.
“The fact that MRRA continues to dodge and deflect underscores the need for major reform,” Brunswick’s state legislators — Sen. Mattie Daughtry and Rep. Dan Ankeles, both Democrats — wrote in a joint statement shared Tuesday morning. “Not only have they refused to address our calls for accountability at the top, but they appear unable to manage the health and financial risk posed by this outdated and expensive system.”
That deadline was among other requests the town council passed in a resolution in early September. While not binding, the resolution also called for MRRA and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to provide the town with a detailed inventory of remaining toxic firefighting foam stored in Brunswick Landing, the community in and around the airport. It also urged improved information sharing with residents and businesses in Brunswick Landing and more information about MRRA’s environmental strategies for the area.
PFAS-laden firefighting foam spill reinvigorates calls for proactive government response
Executive director of MRRA Kristine Logan told Maine Morning Star Tuesday that the agency is working to find a permanent solution for replacing the forever chemical-laden foam system at the airport.
“There was a request for us to be able to turn the foam off by Sept. 30. If there was a viable way to do that, we would certainly want to do that,” Logan said. “But there are legalities associated with turning off the foam, and we are discussing those with our legal counsel.”
Logan said MRRA will share details about the steps the agency has taken to find alternatives during an emergency meeting of its board at 6 p.m. Tuesday night at the town office. The board will not be allowing public comment during this meeting, which the Brunswick legislators also criticized.
“MRRA is once again showing little regard for the pleas and the anger from the people of Brunswick and other impacted communities,” the legislators wrote. “Its hostility to hearing about the experiences of community members and absorbing hard truths is telling, but also consistent with a long pattern of opacity and insularity.”
While public comment is invited at the board’s regular meetings, Logan said Tuesday’s emergency discussion is intended to be focused on the board working on a solution.
“This is really a workshop for our board to work through the requests that the town has made, as well as sharing our next steps on where we are on finding a permanent solution,” Logan said. “We heard people’s concerns, and we’re taking those to heart, and we’re using them to guide our next steps. So, we really just want to be focused on the solution and what’s right in front of us right now.”
On Aug. 19, the fire suppression system in hangar four at the airport went off, discharging foam containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, which have been linked to serious long-term health problems including cancer, weakened immune systems, developmental issues, and more. The spill was at least the third since MRRA took over the airport.
This type of foam, Aqueous Film Forming Foam, also referred to as AFFF, is highly effective against high-hazard flammable liquid fires because of PFAS, but these persistent chemicals also make it highly toxic. As a result, states have started to ban or restrict the use of this fire suppressant — Maine did the latter in 2021.
According to a 2022 Maine DEP report, 48,000 gallons of AFFF could still be in fire departments, not counting additional gallons on current and former military bases like the Brunswick Airport.
In late September, MRRA released reports on the status of the fire suppression systems in two other hangars at the airport, noting several deficiencies with hangers five and six. The agency also said it was deciding how to transition from the AFFF to a water-based fire suppression system, which would align with the Department of Defense’s mandate to phase out PFAS-containing foams by 2024.
“As it stands, the cost estimate for removing the foam systems from all three hangars is approximately $8 million, and we are actively seeking detailed quotes to inform decisions going forward,” the statement read.
On Tuesday, the Brunswick legislators Ankeles and Daughrty wrote, “an $8 million ticking time bomb is too big of a liability to leave there without immediate state intervention.”
The legislators are also floating the idea of replacing MRRA altogether.
“Replacing the authority with something truly accountable to the community should be considered if this pattern of deflection and denial can’t be replaced with real collaboration,” they wrote.”
Both Ankeles and Daughtry have already kickstarted reform plans ahead of the next legislative session, which will begin in January. Ankeles’ bills will specifically target removing and better regulating the firefighting foam, while Daughtry’s proposals will focus on the governance of Brunswick Landing.
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