BRUNSWICK
Recent testing of residential wells to the north of Brunswick Landing showed that a contaminant known as PFC hasn’t impacted the water.
The base Restoration Advisory Board will meet today at 4:30 p.m. at Best Western Plus at 71 Gurnet Road, where there will be an update on the PFC testing.
Maine Department of Environmental Protection hydrogeologist
Chris Evans has been working on the issue at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station. He said the Navy has sampled residential homes around the former base over the last couple of years, and that DEP has not found anyone directly impacted by PFCs in their well water. Evans called it a very positive outcome.
Testing results imply that PFC groundwater contamination is contained to the former base.
Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Steve Levesque said the Navy, the DEP and the federal Environmental Protection Agency have been proactive in finding any potential issues with PFCs at Brunswick Landing.
MRRA is charged with converting the former Brunswick Naval Air Station to civilian use. Levesque noted that restrictions on groundwater use are, in some cases, slowing down the transfer of property from the Navy for redevelopment while the EPA decides how to manage the issue.
MRRA has already sold much of the property on the former base that is not part of the Brunswick Executive Airport. About 1,400 people are working at the former base.
There are no wells at Brunswick Landing that provide drinking water, with the exception of one well that supports the golf course, Levesque said. To his knowledge, the contaminant hasn’t been found in that well.
Water for the rest of the base is provided by the Brunswick and Topsham Water District.
Surface water sampled from a drainage ditch and a culvert inlet did detect PFCs at levels that were concerning. However, the contamination may have resulted after firefighting foam was released at the former fuel farm following a lightning strike that occurred before the base closed.
The remedial options there are fairly limited at this point.
PFCs are found in the firefighting foam used when the base was operational. Contamination has been more of an issue for other, former military installations, such as the former Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire.
The chemical is also found in a wide range of consumer goods, including food packaging and stain resistors.
Studies indicate PFC exposure can be harmful, leading to an increased risk of cancer and adversely affecting fetal and child development, among other risks.
Still, not much is known about PFC toxicology.
“This one is challenging because it is present in so many places, in so many products,” Evans said.
dmoore@timesrecord.com
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