Final

Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve 

Center, Maine

Perfluorooctane-Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic Acid 

(PFOA) Impacted Sites

ARNG Installations, Nationwide

November 2019

Prepared for:

Army National Guard Headquarter

111 S. George Mason Drive

Arlington, VA 22204

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District

2 Hopkins Plaza

Baltimore, MD 21201

Prepared by:

AECOM

12420 Milestone Center Drive, Suite 150

Germantown, MD 20876

aecom.com

Contract Number: W912DR-12-D-0014

Delivery Order: W912DR17F0192
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

i

Table of Contents

Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................1

1. Introduction........................................................................................................................3

Authority and Purpose ..............................................................................................3

Preliminary Assessment Methods .............................................................................3

Report Organization..................................................................................................4

Facility Location and Description...............................................................................4

Facility Environmental Setting...................................................................................5

1.5.1 Geology .........................................................................................................5

1.5.2 Hydrogeology.................................................................................................5

1.5.3 Hydrology.......................................................................................................6

1.5.4 Climate...........................................................................................................6

1.5.5 Current and Future Land Use.........................................................................6

2. Fire Training Areas...........................................................................................................10

3. Non-Fire Training Areas ...................................................................................................11

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center (BAFRC) ...............................................11

Parcel EDC-13........................................................................................................11

Parcel EDC-18........................................................................................................11

4. Emergency Response Areas............................................................................................12

5. Adjacent Sources.............................................................................................................13

Naval Air Station Brunswick (NASB) .......................................................................13

6. Preliminary Conceptual Site Model ..................................................................................16

7. Conclusions .....................................................................................................................17

Findings..................................................................................................................17

Uncertainty .............................................................................................................17

Potential Future Actions ..........................................................................................18

8. References ......................................................................................................................20
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

ii

Tables

Table 5-1: Naval Air Station Brunswick PFAS Release Locations

Table 7-1: No Suspected Release Areas

Figures

Figure ES-1 Summary of Findings

Figure 1-1 Facility Location

Figure 1-2 Groundwater Features

Figure 1-3 Surface Water Features

Figure 3-1 Non-Fire Training Areas

Figure 5-1 Adjacent Sources

Figure 7-1 Summary of Findings

Appendices

Appendix A Data Resources

Appendix B Preliminary Assessment Documentation

B.1 Interview Records

B.2 Visual Site Inspection Checklists

B.3 Conceptual Site Model Information

Appendix C Photographic Log
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

iii

Acronyms and Abbreviations

oF

AECOM

degrees Fahrenheit

AECOM Technical Services, Inc.

AFFF

AFRC

aqueous film forming foam

Armed Forces Reserve Center

AOI area of interest

ARNG Army National Guard

bgs below ground surface

BAFRC Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center

BRAC Base Realignment and Closure

CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability 

Act

CSM conceptual site model

DoD Department of Defense

ft feet/foot

FTA fire training area

IED Installations and Environment Division

MCRC Marine Corps Reserve Center

MEARNG Maine Army National Guard

MRRA Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority

NASB Naval Air Station Brunswick

ng/L nanograms per liter

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association

PA Preliminary Assessment

PFAS

PFC

per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances

perfluorinated compounds

PFOA perfluorooctanoic acid

PFOS

SAP

perfluorooctanesulfonic acid

Sampling and Analysis Plan

SI Site Inspection

TACAN Tactical Air Navigation

US United States

USACE United States Army Corps of Engineers

USEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

1

Executive Summary

The United States (US) Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Baltimore District on behalf of the 

Army National Guard (ARNG)-Installations & Environment Division (IED), Cleanup Branch 

contracted AECOM Technical Services, Inc. (AECOM) to perform Preliminary Assessments (PAs) 

and Site Inspections (SIs) for Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic acid 

(PFOA) Impacted Sites at ARNG Facilities Nationwide. The ARNG is assessing potential effects

on human health related to processes at facilities that used per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances

(PFAS), primarily in the form of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) released as part of firefighting 

activities, although other PFAS sources are possible.

AECOM completed a PA for PFAS at Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center (BAFRC) in

Cumberland County, Maine, to assess potential PFAS release areas and exposure pathways to 

receptors. The performance of this PA included the following tasks: 

• Reviewed data resources to obtain information relevant to suspected PFAS releases.

• Conducted a 1-day site visit on 24 October 2018.

• Interviewed BAFRC personnel and former Naval Air Station Brunswick (NASB) personnel

associated with BAFRC activities during the site visit.

• Completed visual site inspections (VSIs) at known or suspected PFAS release locations and 

documented with photographs.

Several adjacent off-facility potential PFAS release areas were identified in association with the 

Naval Air Station Brunswick (NASB), including a fire training area (FTA), flightline, hangars, a 

landfill, and several other maintenance and storage areas. As a result of adjacent PFAS releases, 

it is possible PFAS is in site media surrounding the BAFRC.

Based on the USEPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 3 data, it was indicated that no

PFAS was detected in a public water system above the USEPA Health Advisory level within 20

miles of the facility.

No areas of interest (AOIs) related to potential PFAS release were identified at BAFRC based on 

information reviewed as part of this PA (Figure ES-1). Based on the documented absence of the 

use/release of PFAS-containing materials at BAFRC, evidence does not support current or former 

ARNG activities at the facility having contributed to PFAS contamination in soil, groundwater, 

surface water, or sediment at the facility or adjacent areas. The BAFRC will not move forward in 

the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) 

process. The summary of findings is presented in Figure ES-1.
Ma reBrook

Brunswick AFRC

EDC-13

EDC-18

Marine Corps Reserve Center

Brunswick AFRC

Various Areas

Associated

with NASB

Various

Areas Associated

with NASB

Various Areas

Associated

with NASB

Various Areas

Associated

with NASB

Various Areas

Associated

with NASB

Various Areas

Associated

with NASB

Eastern Plume

Hangar 5

Hangar 6

Hangar 4

Site 11

Sites 1 & 3

Buliding

555

Building 252

Building 292

Building 653

Flightline

(Runway and

Aprons)

Legend

Potential PFAS Release

No Suspected Release

Facility Boundary

Water Body

Wetland

River/Stream

­12420 Milestone Center Drive

Germantown, MD 20876

CLIENT

REVISED

SCALE

ARNG

GIS BY

CHK BY

MS

JW

10/29/2019

10/29/2019

NOTES Preliminary Assessment for PFAS at Brunswick AFRC, ME

10/29/2019

1:20,400

PM RG 10/29/2019

Q:\Projects\ENV\GEARS\GEO\ARNG PFAS\900-CAD-GIS\920-GIS or Graphics\MXD\ME\Brunswick_Figures\Brunswick_PA_Figures\Fig_ES-1_Brunswick_AFRC_Summary.mxd

Base Map: Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye,

Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS,

Figure ES-1

Summary of Findings

0 850 1,700 3,400

Feet
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

3

1. Introduction

Authority and Purpose

The United States (US) Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Baltimore District on behalf of the

Army National Guard (ARNG)-Installations & Environment Division (IED), Cleanup Branch

contracted AECOM Technical Services, Inc. (AECOM) to perform Preliminary Assessments (PAs)

and Site Inspections (SIs) for Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic acid

(PFOA) Impacted Sites at ARNG Facilities Nationwide under Contract Number W912DR-12-D0014, Task Order W912DR17F0192, issued 11 August 2017. The ARNG is assessing potential

effects on human health related to processes at their facilities that used per- and poly-fluoroalkyl

substances (PFAS), primarily releases of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), although other

sources of PFAS are possible. In addition, the ARNG is assessing businesses or operations

adjacent to the ARNG facility (not under the control of ARNG) that could potentially be responsible

for a PFAS release.

PFAS are classified as emerging environmental contaminants that are garnering increasing

regulatory interest due to their potential risks to human health and the environment. The regulatory

framework at both federal and state levels continues to evolve. The US Environmental Protection

Agency (USEPA) issued Drinking Water Health Advisories for PFOA and PFOS in May 2016, but

there are currently no promulgated national standards regulating PFAS in drinking water. In the

absence of federal maximum contaminant levels, some states have adopted their own drinking

water standards for PFAS. Maine does not currently have legally enforceable drinking water

standards for PFAS.

This report presents findings of a PA for PFAS at Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center

(BAFRC) in Cumberland County, Maine, in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended, the National Oil and

Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 300),

and USACE requirements and guidance.

This PA documents the known army aviation support facilities as well as additional locations where

PFAS may have been stored or released into the environment at BAFRC. The term PFAS will be

used throughout this report to encompass all PFAS chemicals being evaluated, including PFOS

and PFOA, which are key components of AFFF.

Preliminary Assessment Methods

The performance of this PA included the following tasks:

• Reviewed data resources to obtain information relevant to suspected PFAS releases

• Conducted a 1-day site visit on 24 October 2018

• Interviewed BAFRC personnel and former Naval Air Station Brunswick (NASB) personnel

associated with BAFRC activities during the site visit.

• Completed visual site inspections (VSIs) at known or suspected PFAS release locations and

documented with photographs

• If areas of interest (AOIs) were identified, developed a preliminary conceptual site model

(CSM) to outline the potential release and pathway of PFAS for each AOI
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

4

Report Organization

This report has been prepared in accordance with the USEPA Guidance for Performing 

Preliminary Assessments under CERCLA (USEPA, 1991). The report sections and descriptions 

of each are:

• Section 1 – Introduction: identifies the project purpose and authority and describes the 

facility location, environmental setting, and methods used to complete the PA

• Section 2 – Fire Training Areas: describes the potential or suspected fire training areas 

(FTAs) at the facility identified during the site visit 

• Section 3 – Non-Fire Training Areas: describes other locations of potential or suspected 

PFAS releases at the facility identified during the site visit 

• Section 4 – Emergency Response Areas: describes areas of suspected or potential AFFF 

release at the facility, specifically in response to emergency situations 

• Section 5 – Adjacent Sources: describes sources of PFAS release adjacent to the facility 

that are not under the control of ARNG 

• Section 6 – Preliminary Conceptual Site Model: describes the pathways of PFAS transport 

and receptors at the facility 

• Section 7 – Conclusions: summarizes the data findings and presents the conclusions of the 

PA 

• Section 8 – References: provides the references used to develop this document

• Appendix A – Data Resources

• Appendix B – Preliminary Assessment Documentation

• Appendix C – Photographic Log

Facility Location and Description

BAFRC is located within the southeast portion of the former NASB, southeast of the city of 

Brunswick in eastern Cumberland County, Maine (Figure 1-1). NASB was officially closed on 31 

May 2011, and most of its property was transferred to the non-Department of Defense (DoD)

entity Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA) under Base Realignment and Closure

(BRAC) on 6 April 2010. The land had been occupied by the air station since March 1943.

On 22 September 2009, a 51-acre parcel of land was transferred to the Department of the Army

for the Maine Army National Guard (MEARNG) to operate an Armed Forces Reserve Center

(AFRC), provided that the Department of the Navy maintain access to operate a US Marine Corps 

Reserve Center (MCRC) on the property (Department of Defense, Veterans, and Emergency 

Management, 2009). BAFRC is located at geographic coordinates 43°52'37.42"N;

69°55'18.26"W, adjacent north of the MCRC, which is located at geographic coordinates 

43°52'34.73"N; 69°55'20.28"W.

Two parcels of land, EDC-13 and EDC-18, were sold by MRRA to MEARNG with a purchase 

agreement dated 9 August 2013. These two parcels comprise an area of 8.9 and 11.16 acres, 

respectively. Parcel EDC-18 is adjoins the south side of the BAFRC. Located in the Natural Area 

District, parcel EDC-18 is wooded except for an abandoned Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) 

tower, which was retained by MRRA. The tower may be repurposed in the future as a cell tower, 

or be demolished (Department of the Navy [Navy], 2012). Parcel EDC-13 lies west of BAFRC,

across Mare Brook, located in both the Business & Technology Industries and Natural Area 

Districts. The parcel comprises two buildings surrounded by woods, Buildings 77 and 145. An 
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

5

asbestos-sheathed aviation fuel pipe, which runs to Building 77, was abandoned in-place on the 

parcel. 

Facility Environmental Setting

BAFRC is located within the New England Province of the Appalachian Highland Physiographic 

Region, specifically, the Seaboard Lowlands. The facility is located approximately 1 mile inland 

from tributary coves to Casco Bay, a large bay situated on the southern coast of Maine, in the 

Atlantic Ocean. 

1.5.1 Geology

Locally, the bedrock underlying the site belongs to the Casco Bay Group, a synclinorium of 

metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks forming a terrane that extends approximately 135 miles

northeast from southern Casco Bay into central Maine. The major formations of the Casco Bay 

Group near the facility, in stratigraphic order are the Spring Point Formation, the Cape Elizabeth

Formation, and the Cushing Formation (Figure 1-2) (Hussey, 1989). 

Bedrock directly underlying the site is composed of the Cape Elizabeth Formation, which is 

approximated to be, because of heavy foliation, 350 meters thick. The Cape Elizabeth Formation 

is typically a phyllite or schist with interbedded quartzite but has been shown to exist as a 

granofels. Typical mineral assemblages include aluminosilicates as well as calc-silicates, 

including marble, chlorite, staurolite, garnet, and sillimanite, illustrating a wide range of 

metamorphic grades (Hussey, 1971). 

Surficial geology in the area is comprised of marine nearshore deposits, thin drift, and silty clays 

of the Presumpscot formation. The Presumpscot formation is composed of grey-blue marine shale 

and can reach up to 200 feet thick. Deposits of thin, glacially-derived drift typically reach a 

thickness of no more than 10 feet. Typical surficial coverage in area surrounding the AFRC is 

likely no than a couple dozen feet (Weddle, T.K., 2001).

1.5.2 Hydrogeology

BAFRC is located only several hundred feet from perennial fluvial systems that flow into the coves 

Buttermilk and Harpswell less than 1 mile from the facility. Groundwater levels at a USGS 

monitoring well 5 miles to the northwest of the site show groundwater levels at an average of 29 

feet (ft) below ground surface (bgs); this monitoring well is approximately 3.75 miles from the 

coast (USGS, 2019). Given that BAFRC is closer to the coast and nearby fluvial systems, 

groundwater at the facility is likely closer to the surface than the aforementioned well. 

Groundwater flow is influenced by a north-south trending divide with the eastern portion of the 

facility draining to Buttermilk Cove and the western portion draining toward Mare Brook and Mere 

Creek, which are tributaries of Harpswell Cove. Principal aquifers in Cumberland County are 

within crystalline bedrock (USGS, 1986). 

Water to BAFRC and the MCRC is provided by the Brunswick & Topsham Water District. 

Proposed water usage for both facilities is not expected to exceed a combined usage of 600 

gallons per day during normal workdays, and 6,000 gallons per day during drill weekends. 

According to deed transfer documents, there is a prohibition on groundwater usage at the facility

(MDEP, 2011). Wells are not to be drilled or drawn from for potable usage. A 2014 Sampling and 

Analysis Plan (SAP) conducted by the Navy to assess the presence of PFAS on former NASB 

property confirmed PFAS are present within the groundwater in the area surrounding the BAFRC 

(Resolution Consultants, 2014).

Geology and groundwater details for BAFRC is shown on Figure 1-2.
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

6

1.5.3 Hydrology

BAFRC is situated between two perennial fluvial systems (Figure 1-3) that correspond to the 

east-west groundwater divide described above; Buttermilk Cove and its tributaries lie to the east 

of BAFRC, while the Mare Brook-Mere Creek-Harpswell Cove drainageway system lies to the 

west of BAFRC, but east of parcel EDC-13. Given the proximity of the facility to the coastline, 

surface hydrology is likely closely connected with the underlying hydrogeology.

According to the facility Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure Plan (SPCC), BAFRC and 

the MCRC are located on an elevated parcel that slopes south and east. Surface water flow is 

from BAFRC and MCRC is to the west towards several wet-ponds and culverts that direct surface 

flow into the stormwater drains, which infiltrate to soil (MEARNG, 2018).

There are several palustrine wetlands within the areas to the east and south of BAFRC, and within 

the boundaries of parcel EDC-18 (National Wetlands Inventory, 2019).

Based on the USEPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 3 data, it was indicated that no

PFAS was detected in a public water system above the USEPA Health Advisory level within 20

miles of the facility.

1.5.4 Climate

Climate data is not available for Brunswick; however, climate data is available for the nearby town 

of Gray, located approximately 16 miles to the west of the city of Brunswick. The summer months 

in Gray reach an average of 67.5 degrees Fahrenheit (°F), with July being the hottest month, 

averaging a maximum temperature of 79.3 °F. The winter months are near or below freezing, with 

an average temperature of 24.6 °F, with January being the coldest month, averaging a minimum 

temperature of 14.4 °F. 

Southern Maine receives precipitation all year round, with an annual average of 47.4 inches of 

rainfall. Rainfall is evenly distributed year-round, with monthly averages ranging from 2.76 to 5.5 

inches per month. Snowfall occurs beginning in November and continues until April, with January 

and February receiving the most snow, at 22.08 and 26.56 inches, respectively (NOAA, 2019). 

1.5.5 Current and Future Land Use

MEARNG owns three parcels of land within the southeast section of the former NASB. The first 

parcel, a 51-acre section, comprises BAFRC and the MCRC and is used by the MEARNG and 

Marine Corps Reserve. No changes in land use are anticipated for the BAFRC. 

Parcel EDC-18 is located within the Natural Area District and is used for nature conservation and 

training. Future use of parcel EDC-13 is not expected to change. 

Parcel EDC-13’s land use may change to remain consistent with its location in the Business and 

Technology District. 
EDC-13

TACAN Tower

EDC-18

­12420 Milestone Center Drive

Germantown, MD 20876

CLIENT

REVISED

SCALE

ARNG

GIS BY

CHK BY

MS

JW

8/19/2019

8/19/2019

NOTES Preliminary Assessment for PFAS at Brunswick AFRC, ME

8/19/2019

1:31,680

PM RG 8/19/2019

Q:\Projects\ENV\GEARS\GEO\ARNG PFAS\900-CAD-GIS\920-GIS or Graphics\MXD\ME\Brunswick_Figures\Brunswick_PA_Figures\Fig_1-1_Brunswick_AFRC_Facility_Location.mxd

Base Map: Sources: Esri, HERE, Garmin, USGS,

Intermap, INCREMENT P, NRCan, Esri Japan, METI,

Figure 1-1

Facility Location

Legend

Facility Boundary

^_

0 0.25 0.5 1

Miles

Brunswick AFRC
!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P !P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P !P

!P !P !P !P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

A!

!P

!P

A!

!P

A!

A!

A!

A!

A!

A!

A!

A!

!P

!P

!P

!P

!P

MCRC

AFRC

Mare B roo k

Legend

Facility Boundary

Water Body

Wetland

River/Stream

Inferred Groundwater

Flow Direction

Cape Elizabeth

Formation

Cushing Formation

Mafic Volcanic Member

(of Cushing Fm.)

Sulfidic Pelite Member

(of Cushing Fm.)

Wells

!P Domestic Well

A! Other/Unknown Well;

­12420 Milestone Center Drive

Germantown, MD 20876

CLIENT

REVISED

SCALE

ARNG

GIS BY

CHK BY

MS

JW

8/29/2019

8/29/2019

NOTES Preliminary Assessment for PFAS at Brunswick AFRC, ME

8/29/2019

1:24,000

PM RG 8/29/2019

Q:\Projects\ENV\GEARS\GEO\ARNG PFAS\900-CAD-GIS\920-GIS or Graphics\MXD\ME\Brunswick_Figures\Brunswick_PA_Figures\Fig_1-2_Brunswick_AFRC_Groundwater.mxd

Base Map: Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye,

Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS,

Figure 1-2

Groundwater Features

0 1,000 2,000 4,000

Feet
AFRC

MCRC

New Meadows

River

Watershed

Great Pond-Frontal

Casco Bay

Watershed

Casco

Bay-Atlantic

Ocean Watershed

Mare B roo k

Legend

Facility Boundary

Water Body

Wetland

River/Stream

Surface Water Flow

Direction

­12420 Milestone Center Drive

Germantown, MD 20876

CLIENT

REVISED

SCALE

ARNG

GIS BY

CHK BY

MS

JW

8/29/2019

8/29/2019

NOTES Preliminary Assessment for PFAS at Brunswick AFRC, ME

8/29/2019

1:24,000

PM RG 8/29/2019

Q:\Projects\ENV\GEARS\GEO\ARNG PFAS\900-CAD-GIS\920-GIS or Graphics\MXD\ME\Brunswick_Figures\Brunswick_PA_Figures\Fig_1-3_Brunswick_AFRC_Surface_Water.mxd

Base Map: Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye,

Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS,

Figure 1-3

Surface Water Features

0 1,000 2,000 4,000

Feet
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

10

2. Fire Training Areas

No FTAs were identified at BAFRC during the PA. MEARNG personnel confirmed during 

interviews that there are no FTAs at BAFRC. NASB maintained a Fire Department (located 

outside of the MEARNG AFRC facility boundaries) prior to its closure in 2011; fire protection and 

emergency response for BAFRC are currently provided by the City of Brunswick Fire Department. 
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

11

3. Non-Fire Training Areas

Non-FTAs were investigated during the PA, but no known releases of AFFF occurred at these 

areas. AFFF is not procured, stored, or used for training in any of the buildings at BAFRC or within 

the MEARNG parcels. A description of each non-FTA is presented below, and they are shown on 

Figure 3-1, with photographs appearing in Appendix C.

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center (BAFRC)

In 2009, a 51-acre parcel of land was transferred to the Department of the Army for MEARNG to 

operate an BAFRC at the former NASB.

BAFRC includes a main building that functions as an office and training facility, a maintenance 

bay, two cold storage buildings, a refueling bay, and a paved parking lot for military and civilian 

vehicles (MEARNG, 2018). The facility also includes two 1,000-gallon underground propane tanks 

and two 1,000-gallon above ground propane tanks. 

BAFRC employs full time employees and hosts reservists on drill weekends. Water is supplied by 

the Brunswick & Topsham Water District; groundwater is not accessed for potable water. All fire 

suppression systems at the BAFRC use water, except the kitchen, which uses a dry chemical 

suppressant. No evidence suggests that AFFF has ever been used or stored at the BAFRC.

The Department of the Navy maintains an MCRC on the property to the south of BAFRC. 

Parcel EDC-13

The 8.9-acre parcel EDC-13 is situated in both the Business & Technology Industries and Natural 

Area Districts. The parcel comprises two buildings and is surrounded by woods. These buildings 

are approximately 0.4 miles west of BAFRC, across Mare Brook. An asbestos-sheathed aviation 

fuel pipe that runs to Building 77 was abandoned in-place on the parcel. No AFFF fire suppression 

systems are used within Parcel EDC-13. No evidence suggests that AFFF has ever been used or 

stored within the parcel.

Parcel EDC-18 

Parcel EDC-18 is an 11.16-acre tract of land located adjacent to the south of the 51-acre parcel 

in which BAFRC lies. Located in the Natural Area District, which is intended for the maintenance 

and enhancement of existing natural areas, parcel EDC-18 is wooded except for an abandoned 

TACAN tower that was retained by MRRA. The tower may be repurposed in the future as a cell 

tower or be demolished. No fire suppression systems are in place within Parcel EDC-18 that utilize 

AFFF. No evidence indicates that AFFF has ever been used or stored within the parcel.
Brunswick AFRC

EDC-13

EDC-18

Marine Corps

Reserve Center

Brunswick AFRC

Mare Brook

Legend

No Suspected Release

Facility Boundary

Water Body

Wetland

River/Stream

­12420 Milestone Center Drive

Germantown, MD 20876

CLIENT

REVISED

SCALE

ARNG

GIS BY

CHK BY

MS

JW

10/29/2019

10/29/2019

NOTES Preliminary Assessment for PFAS at Brunswick AFRC, ME

10/29/2019

1:7,200

PM RG 10/29/2019

Q:\Projects\ENV\GEARS\GEO\ARNG PFAS\900-CAD-GIS\920-GIS or Graphics\MXD\ME\Brunswick_Figures\Brunswick_PA_Figures\Fig_3-1_Brunswick_AFRC_Non-Fire_Training_Areas.mxd

Base Map: Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye,

Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS,

Figure 3-1

Non-Fire Training Areas

0 300 600 1,200

Feet
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

12

4. Emergency Response Areas

No instances of emergency response were identified at BAFRC during the PA based on interviews

with personnel whose tenure span the entire history of the BAFRC, online research, and the 

Environmental Data Resource (EDR) report (EDR, 2018; Appendix A). Personnel interviewed 

during the PA site visit stated that no incidents have occurred at any parcels associated with the 

facility that required fire suppression (Appendix B). The City of Brunswick Fire Department 

provides emergency response for BAFRC. 
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

13

5. Adjacent Sources

Several sources of PFAS releases associated with the NASB were identified adjacent to BAFRC 

was identified during the PA and are discussed below. Figure 5-1 presents the location of 

potential adjacent PFAS sources. 

Naval Air Station Brunswick (NASB)

Fire training and other activities resulting in PFAS releases have occurred at the adjacent NASB. 

The NASB FTA (identified as Site 11 in previous Navy reports) hosted fire training activities for 30 

years until they ceased in 1990. AFFF was phased into use at NASB sometime between the late 

1970s and early 1980s according to the 2014 PFAS Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP)

(Resolution Consultants, 2014). AFFF would have been used at training sessions since its phasein until the FTA closed in 1990; however, the frequency and volume of releases are unknown. 

Based on the 2014 SAP results (Appendix A), 12 areas at NASB were identified as potential 

PFAS release areas; they are identified in Table 5-1 below.

Table 5-1: Naval Air Station Brunswick PFAS Release Locations

Potential NASB Release 

Area

Nature of Release or Potential Release

Site 11: Former FTA Intentional release of AFFF for fire training over 30-year 

period. 

Eastern Plume Solvent plume downgradient from Site 11. Sampling efforts 

also reported concentrations of PFAS.

Flightline (Runway and 

Aprons)

Fire extinguishing activities relating to airport operations. 

Sites 1 & 3: Landfill Soil deposited here from soil remediation activities from Site 

11.

Hangar 4 Two documented accidental discharges led to releases of an 

unknown amount and 1,450 gallons of AFFF. 

Hangar 5 Three documented accidental discharges resulting in releases 

of 8,000, 200-300, and 20 gallons of AFFF.

Hangar 6 Two or three undocumented accidental releases from the fire 

suppression system. 

Bldg. 252 – Public Works 

Vehicle Maintenance Shop

Approximately 20 – 30 gallons of AFFF was discharged to the 

sanitary sewer from a leaking fire vehicle. 

Bldg. 292 – Fire 

Department 

Several times a year, an unknown amount of AFFF would leak 

from fire vehicles during daily checks. 

Bldg. 555 –

Sonobuoy/Vehicle Storage

Approximately 40 gallons of AFFF were released to the 

oil/water separator, and likely the sanitary sewer as well.

Bldg. 653 – Foam House AFFF was released from the fire suppression system due to 

lightning strike.

Various Areas associated 

with NASB

Expired AFFF would be discharged to various grassy areas 

around NASB from fire vehicles for routine maintenance. 
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

14

As a result of adjacent PFAS releases at NASB, it is possible that PFAS is present in soil, 

groundwater, surface water, and sediment in the areas surrounding the MEARNG parcels, as well 

as in groundwater, surface water, and sediment within the parcels.
Various Areas 

Associated 

with NASB

Various Areas 

Associated 

with NASB

Various Areas 

Associated 

with NASB

Various Areas 

Associated 

with NASB

Various Areas 

Associated 

with NASB

Hangar 5

Hangar 6

Building 292

Flightline

(Runway and

Aprons)

Building 653

Building 252

Buliding 555

Sites 1 & 3

Site 11

Hangar 4

Eastern Plume

Various Areas 

Associated 

with NASB

Ma reBrook

Legend

Potential PFAS Release

Facility Boundary

Water Body

Wetland

River/Stream

­12420 Milestone Center Drive

Germantown, MD 20876

CLIENT

REVISED

SCALE

ARNG

GIS BY

CHK BY

MS

JW

9/18/2019

9/18/2019

NOTES Preliminary Assessment for PFAS at Brunswick AFRC, ME

9/18/2019

1:20,400

PM RG 9/18/2019

Q:\Projects\ENV\GEARS\GEO\ARNG PFAS\900-CAD-GIS\920-GIS or Graphics\MXD\ME\Brunswick_Figures\Brunswick_PA_Figures\Fig_5-1_Brunswick_AFRC_Adjacent_Sources.mxd

Base Map: Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye,

Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS,

Figure 5-1

Adjacent Sources

0 850 1,700 3,400

Feet
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

16

6. Preliminary Conceptual Site Model

Based on the PA findings, no release areas were identified at any MEARNG parcels associated 

with the BAFRC as a result of MEARNG actions; therefore, a preliminary conceptual site model 

(CSM) is not required for the facility. A CSM identifies three components necessary for a 

potentially complete exposure pathway: (1) source, (2) pathway, (3) receptor. If any of these 

elements are missing, the pathway is considered incomplete. Based on the findings of this PA, 

there are no sources at BAFRC, thus, there is no complete pathway to potential receptors from 

ARNG use of PFAS sources at the facility.
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

17

7. Conclusions

This report presents a summary of available information gathered during PA efforts on the use 

and storage of AFFF at BAFRC. The PA findings are based on personnel interviews, 

environmental investigations and reports, historical documents, and the VSI. The PA findings are 

based on the information presented in Appendix A, Appendix B, and Appendix C.

Findings

No AOIs related to potential PFAS release were identified at any MEARNG parcels associated 

with the BAFRC based on information gathered as part of this PA (Figure 7-1). Based on the 

documented absence of the use/release of PFAS-containing materials at BAFRC, evidence does 

not support current or former ARNG activities at the facility having contributed to PFAS 

contamination in soil, groundwater, surface water, or sediment at the facility or adjacent areas. 

Adjacent potential PFAS release areas were identified within the vicinity of the MEARNG BAFRC.

At least twelve distinct release areas associated with the NASB were identified in a 2014 PFAS 

SAP (Resolution Consultants, 2014), including an FTA, flightline, hangar spaces, a landfill, and 

several other maintenance and storage areas. As a result of adjacent PFAS releases, it is possible 

PFAS is in site media surrounding the BAFRC.

The following areas discussed in Section 2 through Section 5 were determined to have no 

suspected PFAS releases to the environment (Table 7-1).

Table 7-1: No Suspected Release Areas

No Suspected 

Release Area Used by Rationale for No Suspected Release Determination

BAFRC MEARNG / 

MCRC

No evidence indicates that AFFF has ever been stored or 

used at the BAFRC by the MEARNG or the MCRC.

Parcel EDC-13 MEARNG No evidence indicates that AFFF has ever been stored or 

used at on Parcel EDC-13 by the MEARNG.

Parcel EDC-18 MEARNG No evidence indicates that AFFF has ever been stored or 

used on Parcel EDC-18 by the MEARNG.

The summary of findings is presented in Figure 7-1.

Uncertainty

A number of information sources were investigated during this PA to determine the potential for 

PFAS-containing materials to have been present, used, or released at the facility. Historically,

documentation of PFAS use was not required because PFAS were considered benign. Records 

were not typically kept by the ARNG on the use of PFAS in emergency response or by non-ARNG 

units during training events at ARNG facilities. There is no historically documented use of PFAS 

containing materials at BAFRC by MEARNG staff. 

The conclusions of this PA are predominantly based on the information provided during interviews 

with personnel who have direct knowledge of the facility. Although the collective tenure of 

interviewees (1994-present) spans the entire history of BAFRC, their tenure does not span the 

entire history of the former NASB. It is possible that this PA has missed a source of PFAS prior to 

the establishment of the BAFRC, and prior to the tenure of interviewees. Gathered information 

has a degree of uncertainty due to the absence of written documentation, the limited number of 
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

18

personnel with direct knowledge due to staffing changes, the time passed since PFAS was first 

used (1969 to present), and a reliance on personal recollection. Inaccuracies may arise in 

potential PFAS storage or release locations. There is also a possibility the PA has missed a source 

of PFAS, as the science of how PFAS may enter the environment continually evolves. Potential 

adjacent sources investigated also have data gaps and uncertainties. In many cases, the exact 

timeframe of release, frequency of release, location of release, volume of AFFF, and type of AFFF 

released at adjacent NASB release locations is unknown.

In order to minimize the level of uncertainty, readily available data regarding the use and storage 

of PFAS were reviewed at adjacent sources, multiple persons were interviewed for the same 

potential source area, and potential source areas were visually inspected. 

Potential Future Actions

Interviews (with personnel whose tenure span the entire history of the BAFRC) and records 

indicate that current or former ARNG activities have not resulted in PFAS releases at the BAFRC

or its neighboring MEARNG parcels. Based on the absence of the use or release of PFAScontaining materials at BAFRC, no AOIs were identified during the PA. 

The MEARNG BAFRC will not move forward in the CERCLA process.
Various Areas

Associated

with NASB

Various Areas

Associated

with NASB

Various Areas

Associated 

with NASB

Eastern Plume

Hangar 5

Hangar 6

Hangar 4

Sites 1 & 3

Building 252

Building 292

Building 653

Brunswick AFRC

Brunswick AFRC Marine Corps 

Reserve Center

EDC-18

EDC-13

Flightline

(Runway and

Aprons)

Buliding 555

Site 11

Various Areas

Associated

with NASB

Various Areas

Associated 

with NASB

Various Areas

Associated

with NASB

Ma reBrook

Legend

Potential PFAS Release

No Suspected Release

Facility Boundary

Water Body

Wetland

River/Stream

­12420 Milestone Center Drive

Germantown, MD 20876

CLIENT

REVISED

SCALE

ARNG

GIS BY

CHK BY

MS

JW

10/29/2019

10/29/2019

NOTES Preliminary Assessment for PFAS at Brunswick AFRC, ME

10/29/2019

1:20,400

PM RG 10/29/2019

Q:\Projects\ENV\GEARS\GEO\ARNG PFAS\900-CAD-GIS\920-GIS or Graphics\MXD\ME\Brunswick_Figures\Brunswick_PA_Figures\Fig_7-1_Brunswick_AFRC_Summary.mxd

Base Map: Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye,

Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS,

Figure 7-1

Summary of Findings

0 850 1,700 3,400

Feet
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

20

8. References

Climate-Data.org, 2019. https://en.climate-data.org/north-america/united-states-ofamerica/maine/brunswick-19109/. Accessed July 26, 2019. 

Department of Defense, Veterans, and Emergency Management, 2009. Memorandum for Col 

William P. Davis, Assistant Chief of Staff for Facilities, Marine Forces Reserve Building 601, 

Suite 5A118, 4400 Dauphine St New Orleans, LA 70146-5300. June 30, 2009.

Department of the Navy (Navy), 2012. Finding of Suitability to Transfer, FOST 2012-2, Parcels 

EDC-13, EDC-16, EDC-18, EDC-19, EDC-20-TPSM, EDC-21, EDC-22, EDC-23, EDC-25, and 

EDC-47. Former Naval Air Station Brunswick, Brunswick, Maine and Topsham, Maine. August.

Hussey, Arthur M, 1971. Geologic Map and Cross Sections of the Orrds Island 7 1⁄2’ Quadrangle 

and Adjacent Area, Maine. Maine Geological Survey.

Hussey, Arthur M, 1988. Lithotectonic Stratigraphy, Deformation, Plutonism, and Metamorphism, 

Greater Casco Bay Region, Southwestern Maine. Maine Geological Survey, Studies in Maine 

Geology: Volume I.

Hussey, Arthur M, 1989. Geology of Southwestern Coastal Maine. Maine Geological Survey, 

Neotectonics of Maine 1989.

Maine Army National Guard (MEARNG), 2018. Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure 

(SPCC) Plan. Armed Forces Reserve Center, Brunswick, Maine 04011. 22 February. 

Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MDEP). 2011. Site Location and Development 

Act Application (SLODA). Brunswick, DEP #L-20116-87-M-A. February

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2019. Climate Data Online. 

Accessed July 26, 2019. https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cdo-web/

Resolution Consultants, 2014. Tier II Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP). Perfluorinated 

Compounds in Groundwater, Former Naval Air Station (NAS) Brunswick, Brunswick, Maine. 

National Wetland Inventory, 2019. Surface Waters and Wetlands Mapper.

https://www.fws.gov/wetlands/data/mapper.html. Accessed February 1, 2019.

Pierce Atwood, 2019. Maine PFAS Tracker - Maine Standards and Proposed Actions. 

https://www.pierceatwood.com/maine-pfas-tracker-maine-standards-and-proposed-actions. 

Accessed August 4, 2019.

Summit Environmental Consultants, INC (Summit), 2006. Environmental Baseline Study, Maine 

Army National Guard, Proposed Brunswick Readiness Center at Brunswick Naval Air Station, 

Brunswick, Maine. May. 

United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), 1991. Guidance for Performing 

Preliminary Assessments under CERCLA. EPA/540/G-91/013. September 1991.

United States Geological Survey (USGS), 1986. Maine Ground-Water Quality. US Geological 

Survey Open-File Report 87-0729.

USGS, 2019. National Water Information System. 

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/me/nwis/uv/?site_no=435453070013601&PARAmeter_cd=72019. 

Accessed July, 2019. 

Weddle, T. K. 2001. Surficial Geology of the Brunswick Quadrangle. Maine Geological Survey, 

Open-File No. 01-484.
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

Appendix A

Data Resources
Data Resources will be provided separately on CD. Data Resources for Brunswick Armed 

Forces Reserve Center includes:

Brunswick AFRC Information Sources

• 2011 MEDEP Site Location of Development Act Application 

• 2013 Parcel EDC-13 Phase I Environmental Site Assessment 

• 2013 Parcel EDC-18 Phase I Environmental Site Assessment 

• 2018 Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure Plan

Former Naval Air Station Brunswick Information Sources

• 2006 Environmental Baseline Survey for the Proposed Brunswick Readiness Center

• 2012 Finding of Suitability to Transfer, FOST 2012-2

• 2015-2019 Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan Update for Site and Training 

Installations of the Maine Army National Guard

Real Property Documents

• 2009 Transfer and Acceptance of Military Real Property, 51-acre parcel 

• 2012 Land Survey Schematic for Parcel EDC-13 

• 2012 Land Survey Schematic for Parcel EDC-18

• 2013 MRRA Quitclaim Deed for 2.6-acre parcel 

• 2013 MRRA Purchase and Sale Agreement for 2.6- & 8.9-acre parcels

• 2017 MRRA Quitclaim Deed for 9.1-acre parcel

Brunswick AFRC EDR Report

• 2018 Brunswick AFRC EDR Report 5479223

Previous PFAS Investigations

• 2014 Tier II Sampling and Analysis Plan for Perfluorinated Compounds in Groundwater at 

the Former NAS Brunswick, ME

• 2016 Naval Facilities Engineering Command Fact Sheet: Testing of Perfluorinated 

Compounds in Off-Base Drinking Water Wells, Former Naval Air Station Brunswick, 

Brunswick, Maine

PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

Appendix B

Preliminary Assessment Documentation
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

Appendix B.1

Interview Records
PA Interview Questionnaire - Other Facility:_Brunswick AFRC_ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_______ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018; 13:30pm___ 

Interviewee:__Alan J Ballard___ 

Title:_Former Resident Officer, Construction

Phone Number:_207-522-7927____________ 

Email:___alan.j.ballard.nfg@mail.mil____ 

Can your name/role be used in the PA Report? Y or N 

Can you recommend anyone we can interview? 

Y or N _John Bond, Tom Brubaker______________ 

Roles or activities with the Facility/Years working at the Facility: 

3 years as a resident officer in charge of construction, 3 years as a public works officer 

1994-2000 

PFAS Use: Identify accidental/intentional release locations, time frame of release, frequency of releases, 

storage container size (maintenance, fire training, firefighting, buildings with suppression systems (as 

builts), fueling stations, crash sites, pest management, recreational, dining facilities, metals plating, or 

waterproofing). How are materials ordered/purchased/disposed/shared with others?

Known Uses 

Information regarding AFFF/PFAS at the Navy facility is included in previously Use 

Written environmental reports. Procurement 

Disposition 

AFFF was and is currently stored in Hangars 4, 5 & 6. A release occurred at Storage (Mixed) 

Hangar 4, near the SaviLinx building in 1998. The release was completely 

contained. 

Storage (Solution) 

Inventory, Off-Spec 

All landfill materials at the facility are construction material waste, and are Containment 

Very unlikely to contain PFAS. SOP on Filling 

Leaking Vehicles 

The landfill cap was finished in 1995-1996. Nozzle and Suppression 

System Testing 

There are no other FTAs at the Navy facility. Dining Facilities 

There are no known crashes at the facility that required AFFF. Vehicle Washing 

Ramp Washing 

A fuel spill in 1993 resulted in the release of 65,000 gallons of fuel to the nearby Fuel Spill Washing and 

Fueling Stations 

River. The agreed upon solution was to ignite the fuel. 
PA Interview Questionnaire - Other Facility:_Brunswick AFRC_ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_______ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018; 13:30pm___ 

The MRRA website may have environmental reports available. Tom Brubaker can assist. 

Navy Supply provided the AFFF at the Brunswick Navy facility. 

In 1980, Hangar 5 was renovated. 

It is unknown how AFFF at the facility was disposed of. 

The Navy had an onsite Fire Department until 2011, when the base closed. 

Fuel spill logs were recorded, and would be kept by MEDEP. 
PA Interview Questionnaire - Environmental Manager Facility:_Brunswick AFRC__ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_________ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018;_8:30am__ 

Interviewee:__Elizabeth Barton_____________ 

Title:_Cultural Resources/Stormwater Manager

Phone Number:_207-430-5924_____________ 

Email:_ elizabeth.e.barton.nfg@mail.mil_____ 

Can your name/role be used in the PA Report? Y or N 

Can you recommend anyone we can interview? 

Y or N _AJ Ballard, Robert Leclerc________________ 

1. Roles or activities with the Facility/years working at the Facility.

Six years with MEARNG as the Cultural Resources Manager and Stormwater Manager 

2. Where can I find previous facility ownership information?

ECOP and FOST files are available at the Augusta office (Camp Keyes) 

3. What can you tell us about the history of PFAS including aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) at the 

Facility? Was it used for any of the following activities, circle all that apply and indicate years of active 

use, if known? Identify these locations on a facility map. 

Maintenance – There is a maintenance area for vehicles at AFRC

Fire Training Areas – No

Firefighting (Active Fire) – No

Crash – 2 known crashes in the early 1960s

Fire Suppression Systems (Hangers/Dining Facilities) – Only water and dry chemical (kitchen) used

Fire Protection at Fueling Stations – No. HEMET fueling stations under cover at the AFRC.

Non-Technical/Recreational/ Pest Management - None

Metals Plating Facility - None

Waterproofing Uniforms (Laundry Facilities) - None

Other 

4. Fill out CSM Information worksheet with the Environmental Manager. 

5. Are any current buildings constructed with AFFF dispensing systems or fire suppression systems? 

What are the AFFF/suppression system test requirements? What is the frequency of testing the 

AFFF/suppression system? Do you have “As Built” drawings for the buildings?

No MEARNG buildings at Brunswick AFRC use AFFF for fire suppression. 

 
PA Interview Questionnaire - Environmental Manager Facility:_Brunswick AFRC__ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_________ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018;_8:30am__ 

6. Are fire suppression systems currently charged with AFFF or have they been retrofitted for use of 

high expansion foam? If retrofitted, when was thatdone?

No fire suppression systems known to be charged with AFFF. The NCO at Brunswick AFRC can 

confirm. 

7. How is AFFF procured? Do you have an inventory/procurement system that tracks use? 

AFFF is not procured. Rob Coburn procures AFFF for Bangor and may have knowledge of 

any 

8. What type of AFFF has been/is being used (3%, 6%, Mil Spec Mil-F-24385, High Expansion)? 

Manufacturer (3M, Dupont, Ansul, National Foam, Angus, Chemguard, Buckeye, Fire Service Plus)?

Brunswick AFRC (under MEARNG operation) has no aviation assets and has never stored or 

used AFFF. 

9. Where is the AFFF stored? How is it stored (tanks, 55-gallon drums, 5-gallon buckets)? What 

size are the storage tanks? Is the AFFF stored as a mixed solution (3% or 6%) or concentrated 

material?

NA 

10. How many FTAs are/were on this facility and where are they? Locate on a map. How many FTAs 

are active and inactive? For inactive FTAs, when was the last time that fire training using AFFF 

was conductedat them? 

No FTAs at Brunswick AFRC. There is a rubble pile used for rescue training at the facility. No 

fire training occurs there. 

 
PA Interview Questionnaire - Environmental Manager Facility:_Brunswick AFRC__ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_________ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018;_8:30am__ 

11. When a release of AFFF occurs during a fire training exercise, now and in the past, how is the 

AFFF cleaned and disposed of? Were retention ponds built to store discharged AFFF? Was the 

AFFF trickled to the sanitary sewer or left in the pond to infiltrate?

The City of Brunswick Fire Department is responsible for emergencies. 

12. Can you recall specific times when city, county, and/or state personnel came on-post for training? If so, 

please state which state/county agency or military entity? Do you have any records, including 

photographs to share with us?

Other federal units have used the rubble pile as a training area, but none have been known to use fire 

during training events. Dave Foss (ITAM Coordinator) may have more information regarding 

training by other units. 

13. Did military routinely or occasionally fire train off-post? List the units that you can recall used/trained 

at various areas.

No off-post training known of. 

14. Did individual units come with their own safety personnel, did they also bring their own AFFF? Was 

training with AFFF part of these exercises? How were emergencies handled under these circumstances?

Unknown. 

15. Are there specific emergency response incident reports (i.e., aircraft or vehicle 

crash sites and fires)? If so, may we please copy these reports? Who (entity) was 

the responder? 

Bob Leclerc may have additional information regarding crash records. 

 
PA Interview Questionnaire - Environmental Manager Facility:_Brunswick AFRC__ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_________ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018;_8:30am__ 

16. Do you have records of fuel spill logs? Was it common practice to wash away fuel spills with 

AFFF? Is/was AFFF used as a precaution in response to fuel releases or emergency runway 

landings to preventfires?

POL inspections are performed on a weekly basis. Andrew Moore may have additional 

information regarding fuel spill logs. 

17. Was AFFF used for forest fires or fire management on-post/off-post? If so, please describe what 

happened and who was involved?

No forest fire mitigation occurs on/off-post. 

18. Are there mutual aid/use agreements between county, city, and local fire department? Please list, even 

if informal. If formalized, may we have a copy of the agreement?

Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan and Integrated Contingency Plan 

(ICP) available for the Brunswick AFRC. They may specify an formal Mutual Aid Agreement. 

19. Can you provide any other locations where AFFF has been stored, released, or used (i.e. hangars, 

buildings, fire stations, firefighting equipment testing and maintenance areas, emergency response 

sites, storm water/surface water, waste treatment plants, and AFFF ponds)?

No known storage or use locations of AFFF at the Brunswick AFRC. As a sidenote, south of the 

AFRC, there is a parcel with UXO hazard. 

20. Are you aware of any other creative uses of AFFF? If so, how was AFFF used? What entities were 

involved?

None 

 
PA Interview Questionnaire - Environmental Manager Facility:_Brunswick AFRC__ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_________ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018;_8:30am__ 

21. Are there past studies you are aware of with environmental information on plants/animals/ 

groundwater/soil types, etc., such as Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plans or Integrated 

Natural Resources Management Plans?

ICRMP is available and can be placed on CD. 

22. What other records might be helpful to us (environmental compliance, investigation records, admin 

record) and where can we find them?

ECOPS for all three parcels are available. 

23. Do you have or did you have a chrome plating shop on base? What were/are the years of operation 

of that chrome plating shop?

No. 

24. Do you know whether the shop has/had a foam blanket mist suppression system or used a fume 

hood for emissions control? If foam blanket mist suppression was used, where was the foam 

stored, mixed, applied, etc.?

No. 

25. How is off-spec AFFF disposed (used for training, turned in, or given to a local Fire Station)? If 

applicable, do you know the name of the vendor that removes off-spec AFFF? Do you have copies of 

the manifest or B/L?

Not applicable. 

 
PA Interview Questionnaire - Environmental Manager Facility:_Brunswick AFRC__ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_________ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018;_8:30am__ 

26. Do you recommend anyone else we can interview? If so, do you have contact information for them?

Yes – AJ Ballard (MEARNG), Robert LeClerc (Navy), NCO SSG Douglas Chabot 

Additional Notes: 

 Active monitoring is happening on the Navy property adjacent to MEARNG’s parcel. 

 The Brunswick AFRC has no aviation assets. 

 All three parcels at Brunswick AFRC were previously owned by the Navy, and then BRAC-ed. 

 Public water is supplied to all three parcels. No private drinking water wells exist at the Brunswick 

AFRC. 
PA Interview Questionnaire - Other Facility:_Brunswick AFRC_ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_______ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018; 09:00am___ 

Interviewee:__NCO SSG Douglas Chabot___ 

Title:_Non-comissioned Officer, Staff Sargent

Phone Number:_207-430-5457____________ 

Email:_______________________________ 

Can your name/role be used in the PA Report? Y or N 

Can you recommend anyone we can interview? 

Y or N _MAJ Cotta or Dave Foss______________ 

Roles or activities with the Facility/Years working at the Facility: 

NCO, SSG 

PFAS Use: Identify accidental/intentional release locations, time frame of release, frequency of releases, 

storage container size (maintenance, fire training, firefighting, buildings with suppression systems (as 

builts), fueling stations, crash sites, pest management, recreational, dining facilities, metals plating, or 

waterproofing). How are materials ordered/purchased/disposed/shared with others?

Known Uses 

All fire suppression systems at MEARNG Brunswick AFRC use water, with the Use 

exception of the kitchen, which uses dry chemical. Procurement 

Disposition 

No fire training has occurred at the Rubble Pile training area. The area is used Storage (Mixed) 

primarily for recovery training through CST. Major Shannon Cotta is in charge Storage (Solution) 

of military training and would have more information regarding the training at Inventory, Off-Spec 

the rubble pile. Dave Foss works for MAJ Cotta and coordinates training. Containment 

SOP on Filling 

Leaking Vehicles 

Nozzle and Suppression 

System Testing 

Dining Facilities 

Vehicle Washing 

Ramp Washing 

Fuel Spill Washing and 

Fueling Stations 
PA Interview Questionnaire Facility:_Brunswick AFRC_ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_______ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018; 10:00_ 

Interviewee:_Robert LeClerc ______________ 

Title:_Navy BRAC Caretaker ____________ 

Phone Number:_207-406-2290 ____________ 

Email:_Robert.leclerc@navy.mil___________ 

Can your name/role be used in the PA Report? Y or N 

Can you recommend anyone we can interview? 

Y or N ___Paul Birgio_______________________ 

1. Roles or activities with the Facility/years working at the Facility.

Navy BRAC caretaker since 2003 

*Discussion centered around the Navy Facility as an adjacent source, not the MEARNG Brunswick 

AFRC* 

2. Where can I find previous facility ownership information?

Curtis Memorial Library 

Paul Birgio – Environmental Manager at BEC facility in Philadelphia may have access to previous 

investigation documents. 

3. What can you tell us about the history of PFAS including aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) at the 

Facility? Was it used for any of the following activities, circle all that apply and indicate years of active 

use, if known? Identify these locations on a facility map. 

Maintenance – Unknown. 

Fire Training Areas – One FTA existed at the Navy Facility. 

Firefighting (Active Fire) – City FD relied upon 

Crash – No known crashes known. 

Fire Suppression Systems (Hangers/Dining Facilities) – Yes, at Hangars 4, 5, & 6 

Fire Protection at Fueling Stations – None known 

Non-Technical/Recreational/ Pest Management - No 

Metals Plating Facility – No 

Waterproofing Uniforms (Laundry Facilities) - No 

Other 

4. Fill out CSM Information worksheet with the Environmental Manager. 

5. Are any current buildings constructed with AFFF dispensing systems or fire suppression systems? 

What are the AFFF/suppression system test requirements? What is the frequency of testing the 

AFFF/suppression system? Do you have “As Built” drawings for the buildings?

Navy no longer stores AFFF, but other entities at the facility (under MIRA) do still store AFFF. 

Hangars at the airport still store AFFF. 

 
PA Interview Questionnaire Facility:_Brunswick AFRC_ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_______ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018; 10:00_ 

6. Are fire suppression systems currently charged with AFFF or have they been retrofitted for use of 

high expansion foam? If retrofitted, when was thatdone?

No Navy fire suppression systems actively use AFFF. 

7. How is AFFF procured? Do you have an inventory/procurement system that tracks use? 

AFFF is no longer procured by Navy. Procurement is unknown for other entities. 

8. What type of AFFF has been/is being used (3%, 6%, Mil Spec Mil-F-24385, High Expansion)? 

Manufacturer (3M, Dupont, Ansul, National Foam, Angus, Chemguard, Buckeye, Fire Service Plus)?

Type of AFFF once used is unknown, but available in reports previously performed. No current 

AFFF used. 

9. Where is the AFFF stored? How is it stored (tanks, 55-gallon drums, 5-gallon buckets)? What 

size are the storage tanks? Is the AFFF stored as a mixed solution (3% or 6%) or concentrated 

material?

No AFFF stored by Navy. AFFF is stored in hangars at the Brunswick Executive Airport by 

non-Navy ownership. 

10. How many FTAs are/were on this facility and where are they? Locate on a map. How many FTAs 

are active and inactive? For inactive FTAs, when was the last time that fire training using AFFF 

was conductedat them? 

One FTA formerly existed across the street from the Navy Caretaker office located at B53 119 

Purinton Road. The FTA was abandoned in 1995-1996, and a groundwater treatment plant has been 

constructed and used in it’s former location.

 
PA Interview Questionnaire Facility:_Brunswick AFRC_ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_______ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018; 10:00_ 

11. When a release of AFFF occurs during a fire training exercise, now and in the past, how is the 

AFFF cleaned and disposed of? Were retention ponds built to store discharged AFFF? Was the 

AFFF trickled to the sanitary sewer or left in the pond to infiltrate?

Unknown but this information is likely included in the PA report already drafted for AFFF 

use/PFAS contamination at the Navy Facility. 

12. Can you recall specific times when city, county, and/or state personnel came on-post for training? If so, 

please state which state/county agency or military entity? Do you have any records, including 

photographs to share with us?

No known use of the MEARNG parcels for training in the past, but it is possible. Fire training is only 

known to have occurred at the one FTA located at the Navy facility. 

13. Did military routinely or occasionally fire train off-post? List the units that you can recall used/trained 

at various areas.

No known off-post training by Navy staff. 

14. Did individual units come with their own safety personnel, did they also bring their own AFFF? Was 

training with AFFF part of these exercises? How were emergencies handled under these circumstances?

Unknown. The Navy interviewed their Fire Department staff around 2012 as part of a PA 

investigation. This information should be available in the PA report. 

15. Are there specific emergency response incident reports (i.e., aircraft or vehicle 

crash sites and fires)? If so, may we please copy these reports? Who (entity) was 

the responder? 

Elizabeth Barton provided a list of crashes at MEARNG facilities. 2 crashes 

were reported at Brunswick AFRC in the 1960s. LeClerc does not have 

knowledge of the two crashes by may be able to provide crash report 

information. 

 
PA Interview Questionnaire Facility:_Brunswick AFRC_ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_______ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018; 10:00_ 

16. Do you have records of fuel spill logs? Was it common practice to wash away fuel spills with 

AFFF? Is/was AFFF used as a precaution in response to fuel releases or emergency runway 

landings to preventfires?

Fuel spill logs are kept. AFFF uses are captured in previously written reports. 

17. Was AFFF used for forest fires or fire management on-post/off-post? If so, please describe what 

happened and who was involved?

No forest firefighting occurred at the facility. No known training occurred off-post. 

18. Are there mutual aid/use agreements between county, city, and local fire department? Please list, even 

if informal. If formalized, may we have a copy of the agreement?

The City of Brunswick Fire Department responds to emergencies at the facility/Brunswick 

Executive Ariport. 

19. Can you provide any other locations where AFFF has been stored, released, or used (i.e. hangars, 

buildings, fire stations, firefighting equipment testing and maintenance areas, emergency response 

sites, storm water/surface water, waste treatment plants, and AFFF ponds)?

Storage of AFFF and its use at the Navy facility is captured in previously written reports. 

20. Are you aware of any other creative uses of AFFF? If so, how was AFFF used? What entities were 

involved?

No known creative uses of AFFF. 

 
PA Interview Questionnaire Facility:_Brunswick AFRC_ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_______ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018; 10:00_ 

21. Are there past studies you are aware of with environmental information on plants/animals/ 

groundwater/soil types, etc., such as Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plans or Integrated 

Natural Resources Management Plans?

Yes, the Navy has written several reports on PFAS at the facility. They are available at the Curtis 

Memorial Library. There are also reports on the “Eastern Plume,” which is monitored for PFAS, 

VOCS, etc. There is also data available for the Landfill near the former FTA. MEDEP might be able 

to provide these documents as well. 

22. What other records might be helpful to us (environmental compliance, investigation records, admin 

record) and where can we find them?

Already stated. 

23. Do you have or did you have a chrome plating shop on base? What were/are the years of operation 

of that chrome plating shop?

No. 

24. Do you know whether the shop has/had a foam blanket mist suppression system or used a fume 

hood for emissions control? If foam blanket mist suppression was used, where was the foam 

stored, mixed, applied, etc.?

No. 

25. How is off-spec AFFF disposed (used for training, turned in, or given to a local Fire Station)? If 

applicable, do you know the name of the vendor that removes off-spec AFFF? Do you have copies of 

the manifest or B/L?

Unknown. Navy Supply was used for procurement. 

 
PA Interview Questionnaire Facility:_Brunswick AFRC_ 

 Interviewer:_Joe Witte_______ 

 Date/Time:_10/24/2018; 10:00_ 

26. Do you recommend anyone else we can interview? If so, do you have contact information for them?

Iver McLeod – MEDEP 

Mike Daily – EPA 

Dave Foss 

Paul Birgio

Additional Notes: 

 The Navy is cleaning parcels of land at the Brunswick Facility, and conveying them to MRRA 

(Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority). The Navy ultimately plans to convey all properties to 

MRRA. 

 The Town of Brunswick, South Maine Community College, and Bowdoin College all own parcels of 

the former facility 

 The Navy has performed several PFAS investigations, including sampling. No PFAS contamination 

has been found in drinking water wells at the former Navy Facility or anywhere off-post. Resident 

wells were sampled along Coombs Road, as well as an off-facility well on an adjacent golf course. No 

PFAS was detected. 

 The “eastern plume” appears to stop migrating south once it reaches Mare Brook, north of the 

MEARNG parcel. The eastern plume is mostly solvents, but does contain PFAS. 

 The original treatment of the FTA in turning it into the groundwater treatment plant is unknown. It is 

unknown if materials were excavated from the area. 

 A landfill where contaminated materials were brought from all over the facility exists north of Mare 

Brook, west of Picnic Grounds Access Road. The landfill was constructed approximately 20 years 

ago. It is horseshoe shaped, with a 90 ft wall of clay/slurry. Leachate is sampled, and does not show 

PFAS detections. 

 The Navy facility closed in 2011. 

 The military still uses Brunswick Executive Airport. 

 It is believed that MRRA owns the airport and its hangars. 

 A 2012 Navy report indicates that groundwater flows east at the eastern plume, not south towards the 

MEARNG facility. 

 PFAS in groundwater at the facility is assumed to be the result of AFFF use. PFAS in groundwater is 

included in Navy reports for “Site 11”. 

 The Navy has reduced the size of their facility by approximately 90%. 
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

Appendix B.2

Visual Site Inspection Checklists




PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

Appendix B.3

Conceptual Site Model Information
Preliminary Assessment – Conceptual Site Model Information

Site Name:

Why has this location been identified as a site?

Are there any other activities nearby that could also impact this location?

Training Events

Have any training events with AFFF occurred at this site?

If so, how often?

How much material was used? Is it documented?

Identify Potential Pathways: Do we have enough information to fully understand over land surface 

water flow, groundwater flow, and geological formations on and around the facility? Any direct 

pathways to larger water bodies?

Surface Water:

Surface water flow direction?

Average rainfall?

Any flooding during rainy season?

Direct or indirect pathway to ditches?

Direct or indirect pathway to larger bodies of water?

Does surface water pond any place on site?

Any impoundment areas or retention ponds?

Any NPDES location points near the site?

How does surface water drain on and around the flight line?

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, Brunswick East, Brunswick West

Facility is an Armed Forces Reserve Center with what appeared to be a vehicle maintenance

area and training sites. AFFF may have been stored or used at the facilities.

Yes, former Naval Air Station Brunswick historically operated on the current MEARNG

parcels and adjacent to them.

Not on any MEARNG parcels.

Specific information about releases at the adjacent former NASB can be found in the 

Navy SAP included in Appendix A.

NA

Generally towards the south. Local flow on each parcel varies.

47.4 inches annually

No

Drainage channels follow ordnance road near the AFRC

Mare Brook and Mere Creek empty into Harpswell Cove

No ponding on MEARNG parcels

No

Unknown

No flightline associated with MEARNG parcels
Preliminary Assessment – Conceptual Site Model Information

Groundwater:

Groundwater flow direction?

Depth to groundwater?

Uses (agricultural, drinking water, irrigation)?

Any groundwater treatment systems? 

Any groundwater monitoring well locations near the site?

Is groundwater used for drinking water?

Are there drinking water supply wells on installation?

Do they serve off-post populations?

Are there off-post drinking water wells downgradient 

Waste Water Treatment Plant:

Has the installation ever had a WWTP, past or present?

If so, do we understand the process and which water is/was treated at the plant? 

Do we understand the fate of sludge waste?

Is surface water from potential contaminated sites treated?

Equipment Rinse Water

1. Is firefighting equipment washed? Where does the rinse water go?

2. Are nozzles tested? How often are nozzles tested? Where are nozzles tested? Are nozzles cleaned after 

use? Where does the rinse water flow after cleaning nozzles?

3. Other?

southerly east-west direction, with the eastern portion draining to Buttermilk Cove,

and the western portion draining toward Mare Brook and Mere Creek

Unknown

No known uses; domestic wells exist nearby

Not on MEARNG parcels

No but domestic wells exist nearby

Not on MEARNG parcels

No

NA

Yes

Not on or associated with MEARNG parcels

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA
Preliminary Assessment – Conceptual Site Model Information

Identify Potential Receptors:

Site Worker 

Construction Worker 

Recreational User

Residential 

Child 

Ecological

Note what is located near by the site (e.g. daycare, schools, hospitals, churches, agricultural, livestock)?

Documentation

Ask for Engineering drawings (if applicable).

Has there been a reconstruction or changes to the drainage system? When did that occur?

No PFAS releases at Brunswick AFRC, therefore, no receptors
PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center, ME

Appendix C

Photographic Log
Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Readiness Center

Perfluorooctane-Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) and 

Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) Impacted Sites

ARNG Installations, Nationwide

AECOM

APPENDIX C – Photographic Log

Army National Guard, Preliminary

Assessment for PFAS

Brunswick Armed Forces Readiness

Center Cumberland County, Maine

Photograph No. 1

Description:

Entrance to the MEARNG 

Brunswick Armed Forces 

Readiness Center (AFRC) 

facility. View facing east.

24 October 2019

Photograph No. 2

Description:

Military facility south of 

MEARNG Brunswick AFRC. 

View facing south.

24 October 2019
Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Readiness Center

Perfluorooctane-Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) and 

Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) Impacted Sites

ARNG Installations, Nationwide

AECOM

APPENDIX C – Photographic Log

Army National Guard, Preliminary

Assessment for PFAS

Brunswick Armed Forces Readiness

Center Cumberland County, Maine

Photograph No. 3

Description:

Training area on the western 

MEARNG Brunswick 

property (EDC-13), located 

west of the Brunswick AFRC. 

View facing southwest.

24 October 2019

Photograph No. 4

Description: 

Training area on the western 

MEARNG Brunswick 

property (EDC-13), located 

west of the Brunswick AFRC. 

View facing southwest.

24 October 2019
Preliminary Assessment Report

Brunswick Armed Forces Readiness Center

Perfluorooctane-Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) and 

Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) Impacted Sites

ARNG Installations, Nationwide

AECOM

APPENDIX C – Photographic Log

Army National Guard, Preliminary

Assessment for PFAS

Brunswick Armed Forces Readiness

Center Cumberland County, Maine

Photograph No. 5

Description:

Entrance to landfill area on the 

Naval Air Station (NAS) 

Brunswick facility. Landfill 

located north of MEARNG 

Brunswick properties. View 

facing west.

24 October 2019