Maine agriculture officials describe PFAS response program, $60 million PFAS Fund and land‑purchase option

Deputy Commissioner Nancy McBrady and Beth Valentine, director of the PFAS Fund, briefed the board on Maine’s PFAS response program and the PFAS Fund, describing technical assistance, research investments, health support and a land‑purchase option for impacted properties.

McBrady described the department’s PFAS response work as a multi‑agency effort that began in 2019 and has matured into a staffed program. She told the board the department has seven full‑time staff and two part‑time consultants assigned to PFAS response and that the department has spent more than $3,000,000 on sampling, testing and on‑farm investments to help affected farms manage contamination.

McBrady said the department has worked with roughly 90 farms with varying levels of PFAS detection; of those, she said five farms have closed and three reduced operations because of PFAS impacts. She also described DEP’s tiered approach to testing sites that historically accepted biosolids (sludge) and said detection levels generally decline outside Tier‑1 areas.

Beth Valentine described the PFAS…