Maine lawmakers ask Navy for help after massive toxic foam spill

The incident is the largest spill of its kind in Maine’s history and the sixth largest in the country in the last 30 years, a group of lawmakers said.

Thousands of gallons of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) mixed with 50,000 gallons of water accidentally discharged at a Brunswick airport. The foam contains PFAS chemicals. Chellie Pingree

Leaders in Maine are asking for help after thousands of gallons of toxic firefighting foam spilled from a Brunswick airport’s fire suppression system owned by the Navy last month.

A system malfunction at Brunswick Landing airport released 1,450 gallons of firefighting foam mixed with 50,000 gallons of water on Aug. 19.

The foam, known as aqueous film-forming foam or AFFF, contains PFAS, which are toxic, cancer-causing “forever chemicals.” Samples from the foam leaked at the airport classified as hazardous by the Environmental Protection Agency, officials said.

Melanie Loyzim, the commissioner of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, said at a press conference last month that the foam “made its way into the sewer system with some overflowing into the storm water system.”

The department said the public drinking water was not affected by the foam last week, but residents are told to say away from the foam.

“The areas surrounding the hangar have been cleaned, assessed, and are safe to be walked and driven on,” according to the Town of Brunswick’s website. “The affected stormwater drains have been jetted clean. The cleanup operations are ongoing in the areas of the retention ponds.”

U.S. Navy owns hangar where foam spill happened, lawmakers say

Most of Brunswick Landing, formerly known as Brunswick Naval Air Station, is no longer in the Navy’s control. But hangar four, where the spill occurred, is owned by the Navy, lawmakers said. They asked Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro Monday to brief them about the Navy’s involvement in clean-up efforts.

“The Navy had planned to remove the fire suppression system at hangar 4 and other Brunswick facilities this month,” the lawmakers wrote. “We are further concerned that thousands of gallons of AFFF remain on site as part of the fire suppression systems in additional hangars at Brunswick Landing.”

The lawmakers — Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Reps. Chellie Pingre, and Jared Golden — told Del Toro the incident was the largest accidental AFFF spill in Maine’s history and the sixth largest in the country in the last 30 years.

“Our constituents are deeply concerned about the short and long-term health and environmental impacts of this spill, as well as potential future incidents,” they wrote.”We ask for your commitment to coordinating with federal, state, and local partners in providing assistance as the clean-up continues.”