But supporters say the current law falls short of protecting farmers and others harmed by the ‘forever chemicals.’

Representatives of insurance companies and wastewater utilities testified against a proposal Tuesday that aims to give property owners in Maine more time to file lawsuits over contamination with so-called “forever chemicals.”

Tuesday’s legislative hearing came just four days after state agriculture officials announced that milk from a Central Maine dairy farm had “startling” levels of an industrial chemical linked to cancer, reproductive issues and other health ailments.

State officials said public health was never at risk because the small farm’s milk was diluted with milk from other sources during processing and bottling. But the Fairfield farm is the second dairy operation in Maine to be forced to shut down because of contamination with PFAS, a large family of chemicals used for decades in consumer products.

Lawmakers heard hours of testimony on a bill to give landowners, municipalities and other parties a six-year window to file a civil lawsuit after discovering contamination with PFAS, which is short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Bill supporters contend the current law allowing lawsuits within six years of an “injury” is inadequate when dealing with chemicals that may have lingered in the environment undetected for decades.

“There need to be hurdles removed for citizens in Maine . . . looking for who is responsible for this, so Maine taxpayers aren’t paying the bill, so individuals aren’t paying the bill and so farmers aren’t going under with no recourse at all, which is what’s been happening,” Rep. Henry Ingwersen, D-Arundel, told members of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee during a hearing held via video conference.

Read more …

Insurers, utilities oppose bill to extend lawsuit window for PFAS contamination