PFAS, what we call “forever chemicals,” are by now a household acronym in Maine.

That’s both bad and good news.

It means we are becoming more aware of the pervasiveness and harm of these substances. Before I was elected to the Legislature in 2018, my neighbor, Fred Stone of Stoneridge Farm in Arundel, sounded an early-warning signal of the terrible toll these chemicals can take on family livelihood, the environment and human health. I have learned much and tried to help since then, and I want to take a moment to let you all know what’s happening in Augusta in regards to PFAS.

Henry Ingwersen

How pervasive is PFAS contamination on Maine farmland? To help answer this question, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection has begun a four-tier testing program for farms that spread sludge based on certain criteria including proximity to drinking water sources, frequency of sludge spreading, and other factors. The DEP has completed tier one, is almost done with tier two, and is starting on tier three. They are on track to meet the 2025 deadline. So far, the DEP has found 56 farms with contamination and over 380 contaminated residential wells.

Maine is working to help mitigate PFAS-contaminated farms and look after farm families while we work to right this ship. The PFAS Advisory Fund — which was tasked with coming up with a plan to distribute $60 million for PFAS-impacted farmers for farm buybacks, income replacement, research, and medical monitoring — continues to meet to finalize plans for the funding. They will issue a final report to the Legislature in May and are on track to start distributing funds this summer.

In addition to locating PFAS contamination in Maine and assisting impacted Mainers, it is important that we work to stop the flow of PFAS coming into our state — this is a monumental task. To this end, I am sponsoring LD 1537, a bill that would update our efforts to phase out using products containing PFAS. LD 1537 would provide several technical fixes to the rule. It would also provide a small business exemption.

Fred Stone was the first in Maine to have his Arundel dairy farm shut down due to PFAS contamination. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has begun a four-tier testing program for farms that spread sludge based on certain criteria including proximity to drinking water sources, frequency of sludge spreading, and other factors. Gregory Rec photo/Press Herald

Finally, the bill, if passed, would add much-needed DEP staff to help oversee these changes. We are also pushing back against several bad bills that want to weaken and roll back the progress we’ve made to stop the spread of PFAS — and make it easier for companies to continue to use these dangerous chemicals.

To help locate the existence of PFAS in our drinking water, there is some important bipartisan legislation being heard by the Health and Human Services Committee, of which I am a member. A bill introduced by my colleague Rep. Bill Pluecker (I) would require the state to pay for the cost of PFAS water testing for Mainers with lower incomes.

Another bill sponsored by my colleague, Sen. Richard Bennett (R-Oxford), would set a technology-based standard for PFAS in drinking water. This means if PFAS is found, at any level in the drinking water source, that source should be treated.

There are also two bills that address the issue of PFAS in bottled water. One would require testing for PFAS and labeling. The other would require companies to test and disclose those testing results. Finally, LD 132, sponsored by my colleague, Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Scarborough), would require that private insurance companies cover the cost of PFAS blood testing as preventative health care to help those with high levels of PFAS exposure monitor their health.

PFAS contamination is the result of products that have made all of our lives very convenient — Teflon, waterproof clothing, ski wax, oil resistant paper, and firefighting foam are just a few of the PFAS-laden products. However, the chemical companies who produced the many PFAS compounds have known for decades about their health and environmental effects and chose to keep that secret. Now that we know, the task before us is a big one, and an all-hands-on-deck approach is needed. That is why I have been so proud to work alongside fellow legislators, farmers, public interest groups, and the Mills Administration to begin to solve this problem together.

If you want to stay up to date on what we’re working on in Augusta, please sign up for my email newsletter at mainesenate.org.

Henry Ingwersen represents Senate District 32 which is made up of Arundel, Biddeford, Dayton, Hollis and Lyman. He can be reached at Henry.Ingwersen@legislature.maine.gov or 207-287-1515.