Natural Resources Board Sees Widespread Public Support for State PFAS Standards
Elected leaders from communities across Wisconsin are calling on the Natural Resources Board (NRB) to approve state standards for harmful PFAS chemicals. The NRB will decide on Wednesday whether to approve the state’s first ever water quality standards for PFAS, which have been found at high levels in waters around Wisconsin, prompting numerous drinking water and fish consumption advisories.
“Everyone should be able to eat the fish they catch and drink the water flowing from their taps. But in dozens of communities across the state, PFAS contamination is putting our waterways at risk,” says Clean Wisconsin Water Program Director Scott Laeser. “As we begin to address pollution from these ‘forever chemicals,’ our actions must flow from water quality standards that—above all else—protect public health.”
“Our communities need help, and they deserve it now,” the letter states. “We cannot wait years to know what is in our water and begin the process of cleaning it up. Other states around us have already passed similar standards.”
Concern over PFAS pollution extends to virtually every corner of the state. Last week, Wisconsinites from more than 80 cities, towns and villages signed on to a Clean Wisconsin petition calling for state PFAS standards that will bring more testing and cleanup.
“We need standards now and widespread testing for PFAS pollution,” Laeser says. “Wisconsin families deserve to know whether the water they drink is safe, and only testing and enforceable standards can provide that peace of mind
PFAS are a group of chemical compounds used in a vast array of products, from firefighting foam to fast food wrappers. Product brands like Gore-Tex, Teflon, Stainmaster, and Scotchguard all contain PFAS chemicals, also known as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment and can persist in the human body. High-level exposure to some types of PFAS are linked to a host of health impacts including reduced response to vaccines, lower birth weight, thyroid disease, increased cholesterol levels, liver damage, and kidney and testicular cancer.
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.
More about the PFAS Problem
- Environmental Groups, Community Advocates Push for PFAS Deal - Henry Redman - Jul 14th, 2025
- Environmental Advocates Hail Wisconsin Supreme Court Decision in Evers v Marklein - Midwest Environmental Advocates - Jul 8th, 2025
- Wisconsin Supreme Court Backs State Regulators of PFAS Pollution - Danielle Kaeding and Rich Kremer - Jun 24th, 2025
- Gov. Evers Releases Statement on Wisconsin Supreme Court Decision in WMC Inc v. DNR - Gov. Tony Evers - Jun 24th, 2025
- Rep. Shelia Stubbs Elected Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus Vice Chair of the Task Force on Emerging Contaminants - State Rep. Shelia Stubbs - Jun 16th, 2025
- Legislature’s Budget Committee Unanimously Boosts Clean Water Funding By $732 Million - Danielle Kaeding - Jun 6th, 2025
- Trump Administration moves to weaken standards for toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water - Clean Wisconsin - May 14th, 2025
- Wisconsin Officials Unhappy With EPA Plan To Weaken PFAS Standards - Danielle Kaeding - May 14th, 2025
- Wisconsin Could Lose $55 Million Under Proposed EPA Budget Cuts - Danielle Kaeding - May 7th, 2025
- French Island Makes Progress on PFAS Pollution - Richelle Wilson and Trevor Hook - Mar 24th, 2025
Read more about PFAS Problem here