PFAS Bill Puts Burden of PFAS Cleanup on Wisconsin Taxpayers

Last week Assembly lawmakers passed Senate Bill 312. The bill would result in PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ being treated differently than other hazardous substances under Wisconsin’s Spill’s Law. As written, the bill limits the Department of Natural Resource’s ability to order remediation of PFAS on private property.

“We cannot support the language that interest groups inserted into this bill to shield polluters from being held accountable for the messes they have caused,” said Clean Wisconsin Water and Agriculture Program Director Sara Walling. “The people of Marinette, Peshtigo, Campbell, Stella, and communities across the state deserve better. This should have been an easy, no-brainer bill to provide financial support to communities that need it now. Instead, it’s just another source of frustration and disappointment for Wisconsinites who have been waiting for help for far too long. Governor Evers has every reason to veto this bill.”

PFAS (or per-and-polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a class of thousands of different chemicals, many of which are still being manufactured and used in a wide variety of products, like non-stick pans, fast food wrappers, carpets, upholstery, firefighting foam, shoes and clothing. The harmful chemicals have made their way into waterways across Wisconsin, prompting the DNR to issue numerous fish consumption advisories. PFAS have also been detected in municipal drinking water systems and private water wells in many communities including Eau Claire, La Crosse, Madison, Rhinelander, Marshfield, Manitowoc, French Island, Marinette, Peshtigo and Wausau. Studies have shown that high-level exposure to PFAS is associated with suppressed vaccine response, increased risk of some cancers, increased cholesterol, and increased risk of high blood pressure in pregnant women.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.