The U.S. Navy had planned to remove thousands of gallons of firefighting foam containing PFAS from Brunswick Executive Airport next month, but a spill on Monday instead released much of that foam, releasing some of the toxic chemicals into the environment.
During a news conference held by state and local officials Wednesday afternoon, Kristine Logan, executive director of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, said the Navy still plans to come to Brunswick on Sept. 16 to remove any remaining foam from the airport that was not part of the accidental release.
Due to health and environmental concerns related to PFAS, which can cause cancer, birth defects and other health problems with long-term exposure, the U.S. military is required by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020 to remove firefighting foam containing PFAS from airports by October of this year. The military is to replace the foam with another material that does not contain PFAS.
On Monday, the fire extinguishing system in Hangar 4 at Brunswick Airport, a former naval base, malfunctioned and 6,400 liters (1,450 gallons) of aqueous film-forming foam containing so-called persistent chemicals were released into the hangar and surrounding area.
As the agency considers what safer firefighting agents to use at the airport, Logan said all aircraft stored in hangars without a functioning fire extinguishing system would have to be defueled first.
“We are trying not to reintroduce firefighting foam. We are looking for alternatives,” Logan said.
This is not the first time that the toxic foam has been accidentally released in Maine.
An unknown amount of it was released during a test of the fire extinguishing system at Brunswick Airport in 2019, Logan said. Last week, tests at the former Loring Air Force Base in Limestone found PFAS contamination of groundwater due to the release of toxic foam.
Amy Lachance, drinking water program manager for the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said Wednesday that Brunswick’s drinking water remains safe following the spill. The only well field near the spill, which feeds into the Brunswick & Topsham Water District, was shut down Monday and will remain shut down until the danger is removed, she said during the news conference.
Authorities are continuing to test drinking water and groundwater in the region. Initial results are expected on Friday, said Melanie Loyzim, commissioner of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
The cleanup and restoration efforts will cost the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority millions of dollars, Logan said. The quasi-governmental organization is seeking grants from state and federal agencies to cover the costs.
