Maine Delegation Urges Cooperation from Navy on Clean-Up Effort Following Toxic Foam Spill at Brunswick Landing

Maine’s Congressional delegation sent a joint letter to Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro urging cooperation on the cleanup effort at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station following the fire retardant foam spill that occurred in August.

On August 19, the fire suppression system in one of the hangars malfunctioned, releasing 1,450 gallons of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) mixed with 50,000 gallons of water.

This mixture filled the hangar and spilled out into an oil/water separator and one of the retention ponds.

According to the delegation, this is the largest accidental AFFF spill in Maine and the sixth largest in the U.S. over the past 30 years.

Samples taken from the site revealed that PFOS — a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS], or “forever chemical” — was contained in both the AFFF and AFFF mixture.

Although the former Brunswick Naval Air Station, now called Brunswick Landing, is overseen by the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA), the Navy has retained ownership of certain areas, including the hangar where the malfunction occurred.

Despite this, the delegation notes that the MRRA is responsible for the AFFF system under the conditions of its lease with the Navy.

The lawmakers mention in their letter, however, that the Navy reportedly had plans to remove the fire suppression system from this hangar, as well as from other facilities, this month.

They go on to express concern that “thousands of gallons of AFFF remain on site as part of the fire suppression system in additional hangars at Brunswick Landing.”

“Our constituents are deeply concerned about the short and long-term health and environmental impacts of the this spill, as well as potential future incidents, since AFFF foam remains at the site,” write Sens. Susan Collins (R) and Angus (I), as well as Reps. Jared Golden (D) and Chellie Pingree (D).

At the close of the letter, the lawmakers ask for the Secretary’s “commitment to coordinating with federal, state, and local partners in providing assistance as the clean-up continues.”

They also requested a briefing on the status of the Navy’s involvement with respect to the clean-up efforts at Brunswick Landing.

Click Here to Read the Delegation’s Full Letter

According to the Portland Press Herald, the malfunctioning fire-suppression system had been flagged as “deficient” more than a year before the spill occurred.

Executive Director Kristine Logan explained to the outlet that despite knowing about these deficiencies, the MRRA was unable to find a fire sprinkler company willing to fix them. She also noted, however, that she was unsure if these deficiencies were the ones responsible for the August 19 incident.

The foam that spilled last month is typically used by firemen to combat high-intensity fuel fires at facilities like military bases, airports, and certain industrial plants. The substance works by forming a blanket-like film over the fire, preventing it from getting the oxygen it would need to continue burning.

While there are PFAS-free alternatives that have begun to be implemented, they are reportedly more expensive than AFFF due in part to the fact that a lot more of the substance is required to put out a fuel fire.

On April 16, Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed a bill into law that made a handful of changes to Maine’s first-of-their-kind regulations, requiring that PFAS be removed from the vast majority of products sold in the state by 2032.

For items such as cookware, cosmetics, and upholstered furniture, PFAS must be eliminated by 2026. By 2040, heating, cooling, and refrigeration equipment being offered for sale in Maine may no longer contain PFAS.

A number of products are explicitly exempted from these requirements, including federally-regulated medical products, motor vehicles, and firefighting foams.