Watch Coffee with the Casco Baykeeper: Maine’s Toxic PFAS Firefighting Foam

Update The Environment and Natural Resources Committee unanimously supported LD 222, LD 400, and LD 407, moving these important bills forward in the legislative process. Thank you to everyone who testified and helped make this happen! Stay tuned for updates and future action opportunities—we may need your voices again. Together, we’re making a difference for Casco Bay!

Missed our recent Coffee with the Casco Baykeeper? Now’s your chance to catch up on this vital conversation about protecting Maine’s waters from PFAS contamination.

Last August, Maine experienced the largest accidental spill of toxic firefighting foam (AFFF) in the state’s history, raising alarms about the PFAS “forever chemicals” it contains. In response, Representative Daniel Ankeles introduced three critical bills aimed at addressing this issue:

Reporting Requirement: LD 400: Resolve, Directing the Department of Public Safety, Office of the State Fire Marshal to Compile a Statewide Inventory of Aqueous Film-forming Foam Concentrate. This bill would require locations storing AFFF to report their inventories to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
Take-Back Program: LD 222: An Act to Establish a Take-Back and Disposal Program for Firefighting and Fire-suppressing Foam to Which Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Have Been Added. This bill would establish a collection system and safe storage site for AFFF until proper disposal can occur.
Brunswick Landing Cleanup by 2026: LD 407: An Act to Prohibit the Use of Aqueous Film-forming Foam at the Former Brunswick Naval Air Station. This bill would ensure the removal of all remaining AFFF from Brunswick Landing.

In this talk, Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca sits down with Representative Ankeles to discuss these legislative efforts and their importance for Maine’s environment and communities. Heather Kenyon, our Science and Advocacy Associate, also shares insights from our three-year PFAS study with Bigelow Laboratory, highlighting the presence and risks of PFAS in Casco Bay.

PFAS contamination is linked to serious health concerns, including certain cancers, liver damage, and pregnancy complications. This conversation explores how science and policy can work hand-in-hand to protect Maine’s waters.

Don’t miss this important discussion—watch now to learn how you can be part of the solution.