The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced Thursday the results of ongoing efforts to test the surface water near where toxic firefighting foam spilled over the summer at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station.
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, resulting in 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.
According to the Maine DEP, “most concentrations continue to decline throughout the watershed,” with the “highest concentrations” still being detected “below the Picnic Pond outflow.”
Data from Harpswell Cove indicates that the contamination has “reached the marine environment” but is “quickly” diluting to “low concentrations.”
The level of forever chemicals in the watershed have “not yet returned to pre-spill concentrations,” so the DEP has said that it will continue testing “to track the trends.”
The Maine DEP went on to indicate that it will continue to issue public updates on the level of contamination in the area as soon as additional test results are available.
In September, Maine’s Congressional delegation urged cooperation from the Navy on the cleanup effort at the former naval air station.
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.
The lawmakers mention in their letter that the Navy reportedly had plans to remove the fire suppression system from this hangar, as well as from other facilities, just two weeks after the spill occurred.
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.”
The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a letter on September 26 directing the Navy to “take any and all actions necessary” to address the spill, explaining that the Navy “retains the ultimate responsibility to address any past or current contamination within this property.”
In 1990, the Navy entered into a Federal Facilities Agreement (FFA) pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) to “address contamination and cleanup at the Brunswick Naval Air Station Superfund site in Brunswick.”
Although the Navy leased a “portion of the property” — including where Hangar 4 is located — to Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA) in 2013, it is still their responsibility to address contamination issues.
“Therefore, EPA concludes that CERCLA, the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP), and the NAS Brunswick FFA require the Navy to take any and all actions necessary to address the recent spill of AFFF at Hangar 4 and to ensure protection of human health and the environment,” the letter concludes.
[RELATED: EPA Says Navy “Retains the Ultimate Responsibility” for Addressing PFAS Foam Spill in Brunswick]
The foam that spilled in August 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.
