Rep. Shelia Stubbs Elected Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus Vice Chair of the Task Force on Emerging Contaminants

MADISON, WI – This past weekend, Representative Shelia Stubbs attended the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus 2025 Patricia Birkholz Institute on Emerging Contaminants: PFAS and Plastics and was elected Vice Chair of the Task Force on Emerging Contaminants. Representative Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison) released the following statement:

“It was a privilege to be selected as a Birkholz Fellow and to attend the 2025 Patricia Birkholz Institute on Emerging Contaminants: PFAS and Plastics to discuss and address the environmental hazards PFAS and plastics contamination poses to our communities. I was also honored to be elected Vice Chair of the Task Force on Emerging Contaminants and given greater leadership in this timely issue area.

Exposure to high levels of PFAS can cause troubles with pregnancy, affect a person’s hormones, or lead to a weakened immune system. It is my duty as a legislator for a highly impacted district to take the initiative in protecting my constituents from harmful pollutants.

A recent University of Wisconsin-Madison study on PFAS concentrations in lakes across the state found that some of the highest concentrations in the state were recorded in the foam on Lake Monona, as high as 328,000 parts per trillion, estimated to be 7,000 times the level in the lake water itself. The hazardous concentration levels are due to the lake’s position downstream from Madison’s Starkweather Creek, which was once deemed one of the most polluted waterways across our state.

Despite efforts to mitigate the use of materials containing PFAS within Madison, these ‘forever chemicals’ still pose a critical threat to resident health and environmental integrity in my district. If we do not address this issue with urgency, PFAS will continue to persist in and compromise the quality of our water for many years to come.

As a legislator committed to addressing environmental concerns in my district and across our state, I am ready to expand my knowledge and leadership around this critical issue and work with my colleagues to develop efficient, effective solutions for PFAS and plastic contamination.”

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.