KENNEBEC JOURNAL • January 26, 2022
PFAS is a class of man-made chemicals, invented in a military lab and used in countless public applications. Prolonged human exposure has been linked to cancer, immune system suppression, developmental disorders, and other serious health problems. The Clean Water Act achieved only part of its worthy goal. We removed solid waste from our rivers, but we allowed this solid waste in the form of sludge to be spread on the very ground that grew our food and the same soil where PFAS now leaches. How did so many well-meaning individuals miss such an obvious source of pollution? How long have government agencies and chemical companies known about risks to public health? What if it takes a decade to hold chemical companies accountable, and worse, what if it fails? The Legislature will debate how to spend a projected $800 million surplus. I would argue the amount of the surplus is unknown until all of these questions are answered. ~ David Trahan, Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine