Contact: Ryan Billingham, Communications Director
608-208-1129 (office), 608-213-6972 (mobile/text)
ryan@conservationvoters.org
GREEN BAY – This morning Wisconsin Conservation Voters joined Gov. Tony Evers, DNR Secretary Preston Cole, Sen. Mark Miller, Sen. Dave Hansen, and Rep. Staush Gruszynski to show support for legislation that will protect Wisconsin’s drinking water from toxic chemicals.
The Chemical Level Enforcement and Remediation Act (LRB 2297/2) – or the CLEAR Act – will require the DNR to establish standards for drinking water, surface water, groundwater, soil, and air. It will also require the clean up of PFAS chemicals.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a class of human-made chemicals used in household products, nonstick cookware, cleaning products, and firefighting foam. These toxic chemicals do not breakdown naturally in the environment. So, even though they’ve been around for decades, they are emerging now as a threat to drinking water here and across the country.
Government Affairs Director Jennifer Giegerich had this to say about the proposed legislation:
“As the scope of the PFAS crisis becomes clearer, this legislation provides exactly what’s needed. It’s a comprehensive solution. It addresses the most pressing problems and sets standards that will prevent future pollution. This is the kind of clean water legislation Wisconsin needs. It’s not just a quick fix or a band-aid. If passed this has the potential to protect our health now and the health of generations to come. Now, our legislators need to pass this measure. They need to take action now or generations of Wisconsinites – our kids and grandkids – will suffer for their failure.”
