The Brunswick and Topsham Water District has opened a new treatment facility at the Jordan Avenue Station designed to remove PFAS from drinking water. The $20 million project, developed with support from the U.S. Navy, can process up to 1.5 million gallons of water per day and serves about 30,000 to 40,000 people. The facility…

Scientists found elevated levels of PFAS in eider ducks and bald eagles around Harpswell following the 2024 firefighting foam spill at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station. Eider ducks near the spill had PFAS levels four to five times higher than birds farther away, while bald eagles showed the highest PFAS concentrations the researchers have recorded in coastal eagles. The findings suggest chemicals from the spill have entered local waterways and food webs. Read the full story here.

The East Millinocket Fire Department is the first in Maine to fully outfit its firefighters with PFAS-free protective gear. A $90,000 grant provided new gear for all full-time and volunteer members, improving safety, comfort, and morale while eliminating exposure to “forever chemicals.” Read the full story here.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected a citizen petition from the Tucson Environmental Justice Task Force to set limits for PFAS in certain food items, stating there was not enough data provided for the requested limits. Read the full article HERE.

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry announced that the state’s PFAS Fund has acquired a second farm property affected by PFAS contamination. The property was purchased from Maine Farmland Trust as part of Maine’s broader effort to support farmers dealing with PFAS-related challenges. State officials say the property could be used for future…

Families in Benton, Maine are dealing with the effects of PFAS-contaminated well water linked to the past use of sewage sludge as fertilizer on farmland. Residents say the chemicals may be connected to serious health concerns, but many avoided testing because of cost and uncertainty. To support affected communities, Maine created a free PFAS blood…

Researchers at the Community Environmental Health Laboratory at MDI Biological Laboratory (Bar Harbor, Maine) are developing a low-cost method to reduce PFAS in contaminated groundwater using biochar–a porous, charcoal-like material known for trapping toxic compounds. Funded by a $50,000 grant, scientists and partner organizations are creating “Biochar Bags” that filter PFAS as water flows through…

Maine, a national leader in regulating PFAS, may expand its response by funding testing and treatment for contaminated private wells. A new bill, LD2115, would create a million-dollar fund to help residents near PFAS pollution sites pay for water testing, filtration, or public water hookups, addressing gaps that leave many homeowners bearing high costs despite…

A new Maine-funded research project is examining whether PFAS-contaminated farm soil can become airborne as dust during tilling and field preparation, potentially exposing farmers and nearby communities. The study, led by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, focuses on how PFAS are distributed in fine soil particles and how far contaminated dust can travel.…

Maine’s Board of Pesticide Control approved three pesticides containing chemicals classified as PFAS under state law by relying on federal definitions, prompting criticism from public health and organic farming advocates who say the decision undermines Maine’s planned phaseout of PFAS-containing products. Read the full story here.