The group overseeing the cleanup of an August toxic firefighting foam spill cleanup has cost Brunswick’s airport $774,000 so far, according to documents provided to The Times Record.

Those same documents reveal that Hangar 4’s fire suppression system, which malfunctioned releasing 1,450 gallons of toxic foam concentrate mixed with 50,000 gallons of water, was renovated about five years prior.

The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority this week submitted answers to the Environmental Protection Agency, including details on a project to update foam systems done in partnership with the EPA, the Federal Aviation Administration and Maine Department of Transportation.

“In 2019, MRRA expended over $300,000 to bring the original Navy installed AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) system up to current fire codes. This work was part of an over $4.5 million Hangar 4 renovation project in partnership with EPA, FAA and USDOT,” stated the cover letter, signed by MRRA Interim Executive Director Steve Levesque.

Documents show that a Rockland-based general contractor called Penobscot Company, Inc. was contracted for the project. Project reports and cost estimate documents showed that the scope of work included “recommissioning” of foam systems. Earlier documentation from 2018 noted that the hangar’s fire suppression system needed modifications to fall in compliance with National Fire Protection Association codes.

Levesque told The Times Record that any legal action MRRA might take in the wake of the spill is not yet on the table.

“Our team is now working with Poole Associates to conduct a ‘Root Cause’ analysis of the AFFF release in Hangar 4,” he said. “Once that analysis is complete, MRRA will be in a better position to consider any future actions.”

The renovations at Hangar 4 are among many details submitted to the EPA, which requested the information back in October. In this letter, Director of the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division James Chow cited a requirement in the Clean Water Act, stating that MRRA had 30 days to respond, though MRRA requested and received an extension to Dec. 17.

MRRA’s response, a copy of which the authority provided to The Times Record, includes a narrative of the spill and MRRA’s actions afterward, as well as 26 exhibits of information, half of which are publicly available Maine Department of Environment Protection updates on cleanup and monitoring efforts.

The hundreds of pages of exhibits provide insight to the spill, Hangar 4’s maintenance and MRRA’s handling of the property, though some questions remain unanswered, such as what exactly caused the system to malfunction four months ago.

MRRA stated in its submission that early knowledge of the malfunction indicates the fire alarm panel received a signal from the flow switch in one of the risers. This indicated an “active flow situation,” which caused the system to activate all six wall-mounted cannons that disperse foam.

It also touched on the its immediate response to the spill, which occurred at 5:15 a.m. on Aug. 19. MRRA stated that it called the DEP, EPA, the National Response Center, Brunswick Fire Department and the U.S. Navy around 5:33 a.m. MRRA activated an Incident Command Center at 8 a.m.

MRRA also noted it will release more documents as spill response continues. The EPA did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the submission.

Hefty cost of cleanup

MRRA also included a list of invoices and estimated charges related to the spill cleanup, totaling just over $774,000. The charges stemmed from environmental cleanup and decontamination services to legal fees. So far, the authority documented that it paid nearly $500,000 of this balance.

Documentation also revealed who was renting as an aviation tenant in the hangar. Precision Air Inc., a South Carolina-based company, was paying over $18,000 a month for “cold aircraft storage.” The lease started in 2019 and was extended multiple times over the years until it was terminated after the spill, effective Dec. 1 this year. MRRA said that the impact of this lease termination would cost over $873,000.

In October, MRRA sent requests to Gov. Janet Mills’ office for funding to help clean up toxic chemicals in its hangars in the wake of the August spill. In a budget request letter, MRRA said it wants to pursue an emergency project that would cost about $21.9 million to remove and replace its fire suppression systems and substances that contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at Brunswick Executive Airport. The authority said the funding would be used to design, demolish, permit, bid and construct new fire suppression systems, as well as dispose of hazardous PFAS chemicals in Hangars 4, 5 and 6.

In the letter, MRRA also noted that it made a similar appeal to the FAA under the Military Airports Program (MAP), which can provide grants to help convert military airports into public use.

Levesque said that MRRA has not yet heard back from the state. On the FAA side, MRRA will need to formally apply for a MAP program during the 2025 application process. However, MRRA is also exploring other options for funding, Levesque said.

Fire suppression system violations resolved

The response to the EPA comes on the heels of MRRA resolving a fire code violation issued by Brunswick Fire Department in September, though more repairs in the fire suppression systems of Hangars 4, 5 and 6 are still needed.

The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority announced earlier this week that it completed inspections and testing for three of its aircraft hangars, including the one that malfunctioned and released toxic foam into the environment in August. The Brunswick Fire Department stated in a letter that the inspection reports were completed on Dec. 6, resolving the code violation issued for Hangars 5 and 6.

The Fire Department also noted that the reports identified “system deficiencies that require attention,” which it said MRRA plans to address once parts for repairs are made available. The issues included outdated backup batteries and a “few notification devices,” Deputy Fire Chief Josh Shean said. He also noted that the pending repairs should not effect the foaming systems.

He said that MRRA requested that their contractor tasked to fix the systems, Eastern Fire, order replacement batteries. The letter also notes that the Fire Department will conduct an inspection once all repairs are made.

The fire code update comes months after the authority, which oversees redevelopment of the former Brunswick Naval Air Station, revealed that its Hangars 4, 5 and 6 were past due in their fire suppression system inspections, the last of which were from 2023 and noted deficiencies in the system.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the amount MRRA has spent on spill cleanup. It has spent about $500,000 toward $774,000 in costs. This was due to an editorial error.