A fourth-generation farmer running an organic dairy farm in Fairfield lost his livelihood when his milk and lands tested hot for PFAS contamination. ‘It got us good.’
forever chemicals
Watchdog group: PFAS is active ingredient in 13% of Maine pesticides
An analysis by the Environmental Working Group found 55 so-called forever chemicals listed as active ingredients in 1,426 of Maine’s state-approved pesticides.
Cost of helping farmers manage PFAS is rising, now at $81 million
A five-year plan to help farmers includes $37 million for direct financial support, $25 million to buy contaminated farms, $11 million for agricultural research, and $7 million on medical testing and monitoring.
Lawmakers move to delay start of first-in-the-nation PFAS law
A legislative committee has endorsed a bill to delay the deadline for reporting the presence of PFAS in products sold in Maine.
Lawmakers clash over bill to delay out-of-state trash ban
Supporters say Maine needs the trash to solve its sludge disposal crisis, but critics say the state-owned landfill should be reserved for in-state waste and accused the operator of prioritizing profits over solving the problem.
State expands fish consumption warning for Maine waters due to ‘forever chemical’ contamination
The Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention warned people last year to limit consumption of fish from several freshwater locations around the state, and announced Thursday that it has expanded the advisory to include new locations.
Businesses ask lawmakers to relax state PFAS ban
They say the new law is well-intentioned but too broad, too aggressive and too costly for them to follow. Environmental groups are calling on state legislators to defend the PFAS law as it stands.
From Maine to California, the solution to sludge disposal is not settled
In fact, the approach in Maine – banning the spread on farmland because of PFAS risks – directly opposes the tack by eco-conscious California. Here’s how the science is evolving.
EPA proposal would tighten limits on PFAS in Maine water
While Maine’s drinking water standards are already forcing many water providers to install treatment systems, the proposed national limits are even stricter and would force more suppliers to filter drinking water or find new sources.
Communities await first U.S. limits on ‘forever chemicals’
The EPA is expected to propose restrictions on harmful ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water after finding they are dangerous in amounts so small as to be undetectable.