AUGUSTA, Maine — In a final report published Thursday, members of the Governor's PFAS Taskforce listed nearly two dozen specific recommendations to address health precautions and contamination from so-called 'forever chemicals.'
PFAS are a class of chemicals that have been linked to serious health problems, including cancer and immune system problems.
New legislation would give the Department of Environmental Protection the authority to clean up sites contaminated by PFAS.
It would also potentially require those responsible for the pollution to pay for it.
One of those locations includes Stoneridge Farm, a century-old dairy farm in Arundel that was shut down in 2018.
For decades, owner Fred Stone spread bio-sludge laced with the toxic chemicals.
Tests later found PFAS in the farm's groundwater, soil and milk nearly ten times the EPA's safe limit.
This change will allow the DEP to add to the list of things that considered hazardous PFAS and other chemicals, they can go and clean up without waiting for the federal government', said Patrick MaCroy of the Environmental Health Strategy Center.
To read the final PFAS report click here.