MAINE PUBLIC • October 24, 2022
Maine's congressional delegation is proposing legislation that would authorize federal grants to states where farms have been contaminated with the "forever chemicals" known as PFAS. All four members of the delegation — Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, and Reps. Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden — are co-sponsoring legislation that was inspired by the growing number of Maine farmers dealing with PFAS pollution on their lands. The bill would allow states to use federal funds to expand PFAS testing and to pay for health monitoring. States could also compensate farmers for lost income, to help farmers convert to alternative crops or even relocate them if their land is no longer usable.