BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 29, 2023
As Maine, other states and the federal government increasingly understand and wrestle with the costs of PFAS contamination, there should be little doubt that the manufacturers of these so-called “forever chemicals” need to bear the burden of these costs. So we were encouraged when our state, though the Maine attorney general, joined the legal fight against multiple chemical companies. The Maine AG’s office, along with 21 other attorneys general across the country, are also making the right call in opposing a potential multi-billion dollar settlement with manufacturer 3M related to PFAS contamination of public drinking water. While some sort of settlement is the likely and necessary vehicle to help deal with the impacts of these chemicals, which according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may lead to a wide range of health issues, the currently proposed agreement is flawed.