Two bills drafted in the wake of the August 2024 toxic firefighting foam spill in Brunswick have become law in recent days, including legislation to reform the authority that manages the former Brunswick Naval Air Station.

Introduced by Maine Senate President Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick, “An Act to Reform the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority” amends the goals of the authority to require it to engage in “environmental stewardship” and restructures its board of trustees, a body appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Legislature.

Brunswick Landing is the site of a firefighting foam spill that released 51,450 gallons of foam laced with toxic “forever chemicals” called PFAS. The redeveloped naval air base is now home to businesses, residences and the Brunswick Executive Airport. MRRA was established by state law to manage the transition of the former air station, which was decommissioned in 2011.

“We’ve taken an important step toward protecting the health of Brunswick residents and ensuring the responsible stewardship of this land,” Daughtry said. “This is about making sure the mistakes of the past are not repeated and giving our community a voice in shaping its future. I’m proud of the broad support this bill received, and I’m grateful to everyone who worked to make it a reality.”

The final version of the MRRA reform act — which passed without the governor’s signature on  Sunday — increases membership of the board from 11 to 13 voting members by:

• Requiring at least three trustees who are residents of Brunswick, Brunswick town officials or Brunswick business owners, and at least one trustee who is a resident of Topsham, a member of Topsham’s town administration or a Topsham business owner.

• Requiring the governor to appoint a second trustee who is a commissioner of a state department.

• Adding a trustee selected from a preapproved list of candidates provided by the Brunswick Town Council.

The law previously stated that at least seven appointees to the board of trustees must be residents of Androscoggin, Cumberland or Sagadahoc counties. It also stated that one member should be a commissioner of a department of state government. Charlotte Mace, director of the Maine Office of Business Development, currently sits on the board.

The new law removes the requirement that seven appointees represent Androscoggin, Cumberland or Sagadahoc counties, instead stipulating that four members specifically represent Brunswick and Topsham.

“MRRA reform is an amazing way of phasing out our town-within-a-town problem,” said Rep. Dan Ankeles, D-Brunswick, one of the bill’s sponsors. “It restores Brunswick’s voice in the innerworkings of Brunswick Landing … it subjects MRRA to environmental regulations it hadn’t been subjected to before.”

Another section requires any transfers of property within the former base to be subject to the Maine Uniform Environmental Covenants Act, which provides a structure for environmental land use.

Another piece of legislation surrounding Brunswick’s toxic foam spill, LD 1786, became law without the governor’s signature last week.

The act, sponsored by Rep. Poppy Arford, D-Brunswick, requires the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to publicize the most stringent standards available regarding PFAS in drinking water. It seeks to clear up discrepancies between federal and state standards by sharing the strongest standard of the two online and directly with well owners through mail and email.

When reached about the MRRA reform act, MRRA Executive Director Dan Stevenson said he supports more Brunswick-area representation in the board of trustees and worked with bill sponsors throughout the legislative process.

Brunswick lawmakers are backing two more bills, a statewide firefighting foam inventory (LD 400) and state-run voluntary foam collection and disposal (LD 222). Ankeles said both the inventory and foam takeback bills are expected to be sent to the governor’s desk in the coming days.

Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill last month to require MRRA to remove all remaining PFAS-containing firefighting foam from its airport hangars by the end of the year.

Ankeles said legislators have secured a funding source for the foam inventory and the state Fire Marshal’s Office has begun reaching out to municipalities to register their toxic foam. LD 222, state foam takeback, will likely be passed without a funding source so lawmakers can continue to pursue funding in future sessions, he said.