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Hallowell council refers PFAS mitigation questions to health and public-safety committee
Summary
A resident raised concerns about PFAS contamination in a neighboring district and asked about tax relief and mitigation for affected homeowners; councilors discussed interim measures and voted 6–1 to refer mitigation and outreach questions to the Personnel, Health & Public Safety committee.
A Hallowell resident urged the city council to press for help after PFAS contamination reduced property values and raised everyday costs for some nearby neighborhoods.
Brandy Wiseman told the council she had asked the state representative to look into tax deductions, credits or other measures after studies suggested PFAS contamination can reduce property values by 30–42 percent. She asked whether the city or state had programs to offset mitigation or installation costs for affected homeowners.
Councilors and staff described outreach already underway: the state representative’s office is looking into available resources, the water district has advised that bottled water should be used at certain contaminant levels, and the city is tracking a treated-water facility now scheduled for completion in 2028. Councilors discussed short-term options such as water deliveries, filter programs, and coordinating with the water district to reduce immediate burdens on vulnerable residents.
After discussion, Councilor McGee moved to refer the issue to the Personnel, Health & Public Safety committee for follow-up; Councilor Cooper seconded and the motion passed 6–1. The committee will examine mitigation options, state funding possibilities and mechanisms to communicate guidance to residents, and will report back to the full council.
What the council did not say: no specific tax-deduction or state mitigation program was identified in the meeting record; staff said a state representative’s office and the water district are investigating options.
