Maine organic group farmers aim legal action against EPA over PFAS

Maine's farmers are gearing up to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its alleged negligence in regulating harmful chemicals on agricultural land. The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) claims that the EPA has failed in its duty to oversee toxic PFAS chemicals in agricultural sludge, leading to contamination on 59 farms in Maine and posing a significant threat to local agriculture.

MOFGA argues that the EPA's inaction violates the Clean Water Act, which requires the regulation of toxic pollutants in biosolids. The contamination primarily arises from the use of industrial sludge as fertilizer, a practice once thought to benefit soil health but now shown to have detrimental effects. As PFAS chemicals infiltrate the soil, they compromise its quality and jeopardize the safety of food products such as milk, vegetables, and meats originating from these farms.