Maine Senate enacts Sen. Ingwersen bill to officially establish first-in-the-nation PFAS response program

AUGUSTA — On May 7, the Maine Senate enacted LD 130, “An Act to Establish the PFAS Response Program and to Modify the Fund to Address PFAS Contamination,” a bill sponsored by Sen. Henry Ingwersen, D-Arundel.

“Maine farmers have been the hardest hit by Maine’s PFAS crisis,” said Sen. Ingwersen. “This important bill will help ensure that our farmers will continue to get the help and resources they need to deal with the impacts of PFAS contamination on their land, crops and livelihood.”

LD 130 would formally establish the existing PFAS Response Program at the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. This bill would also enable the Department to codify maximum levels for PFAS in food and farm products, in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services.

LD 130 now goes to the Governor’s desk, where she has 10 days to sign it, allow it to become law without her signature or veto it.