Today Senate republicans 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 could limit the Department of Natural Resource’s ability to order remediation of PFAS on private property.
Clean Wisconsin Government Affairs Director Erik Kanter had this to say about today’s passage of the bill:
“This is not the bill Wisconsin needs. Wisconsinites who are dealing with PFAS contamination—from Marinette and Peshtigo to the Town of Campbell and everywhere in between—have said time and again that Senate Bill 312 does not give them the help they desperately need. This bill is too focused on protecting polluters and property values with too little concern for people and public health. After six months, Wisconsinites dealing daily with the fallout of PFAS pollution are left with a bill that falls short. How much longer will they have to wait for the solution they deserve?”
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.
For more information on the health consequences of population-wide PFAS exposure, listen to our State of Change podcast episode, Fallout of ‘Forever Chemicals.’
