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Brunswick residents lambast MRRA Board and Director over handling of August 19 toxic foam spill

Picnic Pond in Brunswick was left covered in firefighting foam containing harmful PFAS chemicals after a fire suppression system accidentally discharged at the nearby former Brunswick Naval Air Base.
Steve Walker
/
Maine Public
Picnic Pond in Brunswick was left covered in firefighting foam containing harmful PFAS chemicals after a fire suppression system accidentally discharged at the nearby former Brunswick Naval Air Base.

The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority held an emergency meeting Friday to update the public on efforts to clean up the massive spill of toxic foam on August 19, test water supplies, and remove the foam fire suppression systems remaining on site at the Brunswick Executive Airport.

Town leaders said the chemical spill was the worst in Maine in 30 years.

Nearly 100 residents attended the meeting, and many said they are angry and don't trust MRRA's board members or Executive Director Kristine Logan.

Meghan Kissling lives in Brunswick Landing.

"I am very angry and shame on all of you, all of you. Especially you Miss Logan. You couldn't be bothered to show up at the town council meeting the day this happened. I hope you were home in the fetal position crying because of the way this negligence has harmed our families, our children, our environment, our town," Kissling said.

Kissling said Logan should step down and board members, most of whom don't live in Brunswick, should be replaced.

Town Council Chair Abby King agreed the MRRA Board needs to be changed.

"[We] request that the legislature and Governor permanently reconfigure the MRRA Board to be representative of the Brunswick Community, including residents and business owners of Brunswick Landing," King said.

King said if a similar accident occurred in Hangar 6, it would be catastrophic to the town's water supply. To avoid that, she said the fire suppression system needs to be shut off by September 30.

MRRA reports that the State Fire Marshall is recommending the installation of new fire suppression systems that would cost about $5 million dollars.