WISCONSIN

Opinion: 

People over polluters. The JFC must release PFAS funding

(Pixabay/Pexels/Canva)

By Peter Burress
July 29, 2024

It is time for the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee (JFC) to release funding and protect families from toxic PFAS contamination in drinking water.

Imagine having the means to protect kids and families from cancer risk, but denying them that protection because you’re too afraid of losing influence with corporate polluters.

It’s absurd. It’s callous. And it’s dangerous. But, it’s happening right here in our communities and right here in our state legislature. It’s far past time for the legislature to get serious about PFAS chemicals in our water.

Two-thirds of Wisconsin communities rely on groundwater for their drinking water. We depend on clean groundwater to keep us alive – to keep our kids fed, to keep our communities prosperous. Some of our communities, our families, and our children have been waiting for relief for seven years – we even have the funding available to act.
What are PFAS?

PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals” have been detected in our surface and groundwater across the state – impacting more than 120 communities and posing a significant risk to our health, especially to the health of our kids. This group of highly toxic human-made chemicals are resistant to heat, water, and oil. For decades, PFAS have been used for industrial applications, in firefighting foam, and in consumer products.

PFAS do not break down in the environment and have been linked to serious health effects. These effects include testicular cancer, increased cholesterol levels, thyroid disease, high blood pressure, lower infant birth weight, decreased fertility in women, and ​​decreased body response to vaccines.

How’d we get here?

More than a year ago, Gov. Evers signed the state biennial budget, locking in $125 million allocated to remediate PFAS contamination. But in order to use that money, the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee (JFC) must release the funding.

Instead of utilizing those already approved funds, the JFC is holding them hostage on behalf of their corporate polluter donors. In the meantime, Wisconsin communities are suffering. And while the legislature did pass a PFAS-related bill during the 2023-24 legislative session, it didn’t allocate any money or have any explicit tie to the $125 million allocated in the budget.

Additionally, the bill included a “poison pill” that would have let polluters off the hook by attaching new restrictions on how the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) can test and take enforcement actions. Those limitations would have undermined the state’s battle-tested “spills law,” an enduring protection against corporate malfeasance that leads to pollution.

Thankfully, Gov. Tony Evers used his veto power to reject that bill. And protected the “spills law” from being eroded by a cheap political stunt that serves no one but moneyed special interests and their supporters – like Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC).

Failing Wisconsin to protect polluters

It’s disappointing that any elected official would not take protecting our water resources, especially our drinking water, seriously. As JFC Republicans have failed to release the PFAS funding, they are undermining progress on a problem their own constituents are struggling with every day.

It’s not the first time these types of political maneuverings have stalled keeping families safe from toxins, unfortunately. Time and again, politicians have said one thing to their constituents, then in committees or with their votes, did the exact opposite of what they claim to care about.

It’s time these legislators do the right thing for Wisconsin – and the people they were elected to serve.

Get the money out the door – now

It’s time to refocus our efforts on the need immediately in front of us – getting funding to communities impacted by PFAS contamination as quickly as possible. That means supporting funding for impacted municipalities and private well owners, without polluter loopholes tied to those programs.

There are ready-made solutions from Gov. Evers that the JFC – which is still currently at work – could approve and immediately help Wisconsin families being harmed by its own inaction.

It’s time for decision makers to say “no” to Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce and their corporate polluter pals, and “yes” to making sure communities have safe, clean drinking water for all.

Let’s put the people of Wisconsin first.