DNR Hosting Listening Session to Gather Feedback About Pfas Law Program Development

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced a public listening session to gather feedback from individuals and communities about the agency’s PFAS law program development.

2025 Wisconsin Act 200 and 2025 Wisconsin Act 201 authorize the DNR to develop programs to understand the prevalence of PFAS throughout Wisconsin and then address it. The DNR has flexibility for how the programs are implemented but state law defines the type of activities that may be funded. Some of these activities include:

• Private well sampling
• Addressing contamination in public water systems
• Sampling drinking water at schools and daycares
• Sampling high-capacity irrigation wells
• Sampling of biosolids, sludge and other wastewater
• Landfill leachate treatment systems for municipally owned landfills
• Investigation, interim actions, immediate actions and remedial actions in the community
• Technical assistance to local units of government

The DNR is hosting a public listening session virtually on June 19, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to gather feedback about implementation of the programs authorized by these laws. Registration is required to attend this listening session. Those who are unable to attend or prefer to share feedback in writing can use this form.

It’s critical for the DNR to hear your thoughts now so they can be considered during program development and implementation.

Some potential topics of feedback could include:

• How the DNR allocates funding for different uses or to different types of applicants.
• The process to apply for funding, such as what has worked well in the past or created barriers to applying for funding.
• What technical assistance or support is most needed.
• How the DNR can share information about funding opportunities to the greatest number of potential applicants.
• The types of materials and information you would need from the DNR to understand these programs and potentially apply for funding.

Updates about implementation of these laws are available on the DNR’s website and you can also sign up to receive updates through email.

Information About PFAS

PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals that have been used for decades in various products, such as non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant sprays and certain types of firefighting foams. These contaminants have made their way into the environment in a variety of ways, including spills of PFAS-containing materials, discharges of PFAS-containing wastewater to treatment plants and the use of certain types of firefighting foams.

PFAS do not break down in the environment and have been discovered at concentrations of concern in groundwater, surface water and drinking water. These chemicals are known to accumulate in the human body, posing several risks to human health including certain cancers, liver damage and decreased fertility.

Information about PFAS can also be found on the DNR’s PFAS webpage and on the Wisconsin DHS website.

Event Details

What: Virtual Public Listening Session

When: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on June 19, 2026

Where: Virtual. Registration link.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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