First-in-the-nation PFAS response program now permanent thanks to new law from Sen. Ingwersen
AUGUSTA — On Wednesday, Sept. 24, a new law from Sen. Henry Ingwersen, D-Arundel, took effect. LD 130, “An Act to Establish the PFAS Response Program and to Modify the Fund to Address PFAS Contamination,” formalizes the PFAS Response Program at the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. It is the first law of its kind in the United States. The new law was introduced in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
“After passing this bill and being involved in Maine’s groundbreaking work on the PFAS crisis, I proudly welcomed a delegation of advocates, agency officials and policymakers from Massachusetts to Stoneridge Dairy Farm and the State House this summer,” said Sen. Ingwersen. “We discussed this new law, helping these lawmakers make plans to prevent PFAS contamination in their own state. It went to show just how much Maine is leading the nation in combatting this threat to public health and agriculture. The PFAS Response Program supports our farmers and protects the food we eat, and I’m so glad that it is now effective in state law.”
LD 130 formally establishes the PFAS Response Program within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry for the purpose of abating, cleaning up and mitigating threats and hazards posed by PFAS that affect agricultural producers in the State and the food supply; providing financial support to affected commercial farms; supporting critical PFAS research; and allowing for the department to strategically and effectively respond to PFAS concerns and issues as they arise. The new law also establishes the Department’s ability to codify a maximum level for PFAS in farm products.
For more information about the PFAS Response Program and to sign up for updates, go to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s website: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/ag/pfas/pfas-fund.shtml.
Mainers can also ask questions or request help by calling Beth Valentine at (207) 313-0962 or emailing her at PFASFund.DACF@maine.gov.
PFAS, also called “forever chemicals,” are man-made chemicals that have been widely used and linked to potential negative health effects. These chemicals have been found in a wide range of industrial and consumer products, including firefighting foam and cookware.
In the 131st Legislature, Sen. Ingwersen sponsored LD 1537, which gradually phases out the sale of products containing PFAS in Maine through January 1, 2032. In August 2025, Sen. Ingwersen submitted public comments to the Board of Environmental Protection, urging them to reject exemption requests for cookware products that use PFAS. These products allow for the direct ingestion of PFAS because the harmful chemicals flake off from pots and pans and contaminate food while they are used for cooking. He also asked the BEP to reject requests for PFAS in cleaning, cosmetic and furniture products, each of which could result in exposure of toxic PFAS to consumers.
Gov. Janet Mills signed LD 130 into law on May 9, 2025. As non-emergency legislation, the law took effect on September 24, 2025, 90 days after the First Special Session of the 132nd Legislature adjourned.
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