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Penobscot County, Maine: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Penobscot County is 160.2 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Esophagus deaths at 1.6 times the U.S. rate and Bladder deaths at 1.5 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 968 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Rail grade crossing (238), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (147), Brownfield property (129). One correctional facility operates in the county, at least one with health-based drinking water violations on record. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 20 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 45.5184, -68.4321.

How this county ranks in Maine

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Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Penobscot County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Esophagus	New cases	8.2	4.6	1.78xSignificant	6.5 to 10.2	2019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	28.2	16.4	1.72xSignificant	19.1 to 40	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	21.6	13	1.66xSignificant	18.4 to 25.2	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	6.1	3.7	1.65xSignificant	4.7 to 7.8	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	30.7	18.7	1.64xSignificant	27.4 to 34.3	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	79.6	51.8	1.54xSignificant	74.3 to 85.1	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	6.2	4.1	1.51xSignificant	4.8 to 7.9	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	42.3	30.2	1.4xSignificant	38.5 to 46.4	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	7.9	6.2	1.27x	6.1 to 10.1	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	6.1	4.8	1.27x	4.7 to 7.9	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	22.6	17.9	1.26xSignificant	19.7 to 25.9	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	29.6	23.8	1.24xSignificant	26.1 to 33.4	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	4.1	3.4	1.21x	3 to 5.5	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	521.2	453.4	1.15xSignificant	507 to 535.7	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	160.2	143.2	1.12xSignificant	152.7 to 168.1	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	15.9	14.5	1.1x	13.4 to 18.7	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	18.3	18.5	0.99x	15.7 to 21.2	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.3	4.4	0.98x	3.1 to 5.8	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	6.4	6.6	0.97x	4.9 to 8.2	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	5.5	5.7	0.96x	4.2 to 7.2	2020-2024
Stomach	Deaths	2.6	2.7	0.96x	1.7 to 3.8	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	10.7	11.3	0.95x	8.8 to 12.9	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	12.9	13.9	0.93x	10.8 to 15.2	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	5.7	8.7	0.66x	4.4 to 7.4	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	4.1	6.6	0.62x	3 to 5.6	2020-2024

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Penobscot County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	10,048.8	9,842.6	+2%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	75.2	75.3	-0%	years
Child mortality	53.7	59.8	-10%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	5.4	6.2	-13%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	121.6	96.9	+25%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	63.3	28.6	+121%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 20 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde10.72 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride3.05 per million
Acetaldehyde1.36 per million
Naphthalene1.23 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 355 days: 299 good, 6 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 33, peak 170.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

968 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

Rail grade crossing238
NPDES wastewater discharge permit147
Brownfield property129
Gas station (mapped facility)91
Air permit holder (minor source)87
Industrial wastewater discharge71
Small hazardous waste generator44
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)26
Combined sewer overflow outfall22
Large hazardous waste generator21
Major air pollution source10
Landfill (mapped facility)10
Hydroelectric plant9
Public airport8
Large greenhouse gas emitter8
Hazardous waste transporter7
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)6
Airfield5
Commercial airport4
TRI reporting facility4
EPA air quality monitor3
Heliport3
Biomass power plant3
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)3
Gas power plant2
Wind power plant2
Scrapyard (mapped facility)2
Superfund (NPL) site2
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Eastland Woolen Mill, Corinna
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 70.7. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MED980915474 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
West Site/Hows Corners, Plymouth
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MED985466168 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Nd Paper Inc., Old Town
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Hydrogen sulfide, Ammonia, Catechol and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 484,026 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 04468JMSRVPORTL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.9
Ge Vernova Bangor, Bangor
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Chromium, Manganese. Reports carcinogens. 100 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 04401GNRLL534GR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6
Eldur Corp, Bangor
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol. 6,004 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 04401LDRCR448GR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.9
U.S. Army Maine National Guard Bangor Training Site Range, Bangor
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 50 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 04401SRMYM3HILD (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.8
Brewer Wastewater Treatment Facility, Brewer
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $35,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000732958 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Ge Vernova Bangor, Bangor
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium, Nickel. Reports carcinogens. 40 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 04401GNRLLFLORI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.7
Eldur Corp, Bangor
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002088446 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.1
Bangor Intl, Bangor
Commercial airport. O.
Record ID BGR (FAA / U.S. DOT)
Severity 5
Old Town Wastewater Treatment Facility, Old Town
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002043119 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
U.S. Army Maine National Guard Bangor Training Site Range, Bangor
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110037143221 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.7
Bangor Wastewater Treatment Facility, Bangor
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000732985 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Ne Renewable Power West Enfield, Llc, West Enfield
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008437995 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
General Electric Co (Bangor), Bangor
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000744801 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Ge Energy, Bangor
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110039670219 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Milford Combined Sewer Overflow, Milford
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110023142605 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Air National Guard 101st Air Refuel Wing, Bangor
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110025247800 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Forest Bioproducts Research Institute, Technology Center, Old Town
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110059774114 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Ne Renewable Power West Enfield, Llc, West Enfield
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008437995 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Brewer Wwtf, Brewer
Combined sewer overflow outfall. Violation Identified.
NPDES permit ME0100072:001 (U.S. EPA NPDES)
Severity 4
Brewer Wwtf, Brewer
Combined sewer overflow outfall. Violation Identified.
NPDES permit ME0100072:002 (U.S. EPA NPDES)
Severity 4
Brewer Wwtf, Brewer
Combined sewer overflow outfall. Violation Identified.
NPDES permit ME0100072:003 (U.S. EPA NPDES)
Severity 4
Brewer Wwtf, Brewer
Combined sewer overflow outfall. Violation Identified.
NPDES permit ME0100072:008 (U.S. EPA NPDES)
Severity 4
Brewer Wwtf, Brewer
Combined sewer overflow outfall. Violation Identified.
NPDES permit ME0100072:010 (U.S. EPA NPDES)
Severity 4

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

Charleston Correctional Facility, Charleston
EPA FRS registry ID
110013137550
Water system
ME0090342
Health-based violations
2 all time, 0 in 5 years
All violations
20
Contaminants cited
Coliform (TCR)
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Penobscot County

Maine state cancer registry
Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Penobscot County, and their findings.
Maine vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
Maine health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
Maine environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office
Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.
Maine drinking water program
Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.
Department of corrections or county sheriff
Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

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