SpectrumLocalNews.com
South Portland recently appointed Elizabeth Fuller Valentine, an attorney in Portland, Maine as the state’s new PFAS Fund Director. Valentine will lead efforts to provide $60 million in relief to Maine farmers affected by the costs associated with PFAS contamination. Those costs may include support for lost income, medical testing, and research that could identify remediation systems for soil and water affected by the contamination.
PFAS has been found in sludge and drinking water on some farms in Maine. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, exposure to high levels of PFAS, known as “forever chemicals” -- because they don’t break down in the environment -- can lead to an increased risk of some cancers.