Lawmakers and constituents in Brunswick are angry after learning from a newspaper article that the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority knew of deficiencies in a fire suppression system at the Brunswick Executive Airport last year but failed to disclose them.
Fourteen months later 51,000 gallons of the toxic foam spilled into the environment.
Brunswick leaders are now calling for the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority to be reorganized to increase oversight and accountability.
Sen. Mattie Daughtry said she and her constituents are also frustrated with the lack of communication from the authority about the spill and its aftermath from Executive Director Kristine Logan.
“The delegation, today, is calling for the immediate resignation of Executive Director Kristine Logan. From that piece it says she is aware of the known danger found in the inspection report yet did not disclose it, failing to protect our region, our environment and our coastline,” Daughtry said.
Daughtry said Brunswick town leaders never had a seat on the authority’s board of directors and it’s not clear what chain of command exists at the agency. Daughtry said legislation she will introduce would require municipal representation. She’s also calling for the state to do a thorough investigation.
Lawmakers said annual reports from the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority to the Legislature never discussed the toxic foam. They also said fire suppression systems in two other hangars at the airport need to be shut down immediately and they want to see inspection reports for those facilities.
Logan has previously said the fire suppression system had passed inspections. In an interview Thursday morning, before a press conference with legislative leaders, Logan said she had not known that the inspection found problems. She said the authority attempted to have a company return to repair the deficiencies but was unable to schedule the repairs.
“And so, we had a foam system that’s required in our hangers, and we’re actively looking for the last two years for other options for fire suppression in those hangers that would be acceptable, or for the permission to turn the system off and just have a water system, ” Logan said.
Logan said the authority did not get permission to rely solely on water.
Brunswick Town Council Chair Abby King said residents can sign up for the town’s Notify Me system to receive consistent communications regarding the spill and clean-up efforts.
This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.
