Madison, WI—Today, Governor Tony Evers announced new plans to protect Wisconsin communities from exposure to toxic PFAS pollution. The Governor’s budget proposal responds to the significant threat PFAS contamination poses to the health of Wisconsinites.

“PFAS contamination is one of the most pressing environmental issues facing our state. These toxic chemicals can persist for years in the environment and are linked to an increased risk of cancer and other serious health problems. We must do more to mitigate the risks to public health, the environment and our economy,” said Midwest Environmental Advocates Staff Attorney Rob Lee.

The Governor’s 2025-27 Executive Budget, set to be introduced on February 18, 2025, will invest over $145 million to address PFAS contamination across Wisconsin. The proposal calls for dedicating resources for increased testing, expanding eligibility for the state’s Well Compensation Grant Program, and providing resources for communities, like those in La Crosse, Marinette, and Rhinelander, that are confronting contamination in drinking water and within the environment.  

In addition, the proposal includes a prohibition on land spreading of biosolids if the PFAS levels exceed levels set by DNR through permitting. It also includes a liability exemption for farmers who unknowingly spread biosolids containing PFAS on their land.

“In principle, we would support a narrow exemption that protects farmers, as long as it is paired with adequate funding to remediate contamination resulting from the spreading of contaminated biosolids.  Ideally, PFAS polluters would bear the costs of remediation, unlike previous proposals from the legislature, which would have let PFAS polluters off the hook,” said Lee.

The Governor also announced today that he has approved a new rulemaking effort to develop PFAS standards for Wisconsin groundwater.

Wisconsin first began developing PFAS groundwater standards in 2022, but the rulemaking process stalled due to a provision in a controversial Walker-era law known as the REINS Act. The REINS Act interferes with agency rulemaking by requiring that separate legislation be enacted for any proposed rule that is expected to exceed $10 million in compliance costs over any two-year period—even if the estimated benefits far exceed the costs. The law prohibits DNR from resuming work on PFAS groundwater standards without explicit legislative approval. Gov. Evers has repeatedly called on the legislature to remove this procedural roadblock, but the legislature’s Republican majority has so far refused to do so.

“Developing these groundwater standards for PFAS is critical to protecting the health of Wisconsin residents. Two-thirds of Wisconsinites get their drinking water from groundwater. They deserve the same level of protection from toxic chemicals as those whose water comes from public water systems,” said Lee.