Lawmakers Set to Approve Bills to Fight Contamination Across Wisconsin During Thursday Evening’s Floor Session
MADISON – Senator Eric Wimberger (R-Gillett) and Representative Jeff Mursau (R-Crivitz) released the following joint statement ahead of the Wisconsin State Assembly’s vote to pass Assembly Bill 130 and Assembly Bill 131, the landmark legislation to create new programs and protections to help communities combat PFAS contamination across Wisconsin:
“Today’s vote in the Assembly will bring a massive, multiyear effort to address PFAS contamination in Wisconsin even closer to fruition. Wisconsinites across the state have suffered for far too long from PFAS polluting their land and water. Bill passage will put innocent communities and landowners on the best path forward to remediate PFAS while ensuring they are not punished or forced into bankruptcy over pollution they did not cause.
The amendments the Assembly will adopt tonight is the result of many months of negotiations with stakeholders, affected community leaders, the Department of Natural Resources, and Governor Evers’ office to ensure innocent landowners are protected throughout the remediation process. These critical protections will help us get this vital legislation across the finish line in the Senate, and signed into law by the Governor.”
Senator Wimberger added, “Today marks a rare and transformative agreement across party lines between legislative Republicans and the Governor. Even a broken squirrel can find a clock twice a day. My thanks go out to all the staff and leaders who worked hard with us through this process.”
Assembly Bill 131 creates new PFAS-specific grant programs to help communities get the resources they need to address contamination while providing new protections for victims of pollution. Assembly Bill 130 funds these new resources and initiatives.
