WisDems: ROUND UP: Governor Evers tours water treatment plants around Wisconsin, marks one year of Republicans obstructing PFAS funding

MADISON, Wis. — Last week, Governor Evers toured water treatment plants across Wisconsin to highlight the work communities are doing to combat toxic PFAS contamination in the water supplies. 

Gov. Evers’ trip also marked one year of Republican obstruction of $125 million of already-approved funding for PFAS clean up. Even now, Republican politicians on the powerful Joint Finance Committee continue to refuse to release these critical funds that would help ensure Wisconsinites have access to clean, safe water.

See more coverage from Governor Evers’ tour below:

WASHINGTON COUNTY DAILY NEWS: “The governor and city staff then traveled to Well Number 4 in the city, which had been shut down in 2022 due to PFAS levels above the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s non-regulatory health advisory levels. […] ‘The city of West Bend has just done an extraordinary job,’ said Evers. ‘The people that do the hard work here are right on top of [the PFAS] issue. I couldn’t be more proud of what they have done.’ Evers added that PFAS contamination in water is not just a West Bend issue, but a statewide one, and it is important to address it as quickly as possible to ensure safe drinking water for all residents, especially as people in West Bend are already paying for the rate change. ‘There’s money that we passed in the budget, and it’s just a matter of getting the legislature to release it,’ said Evers.”

WQOW:“Governor Tony Evers visited Eau Claire Monday to advocate for the release of PFAS funding. This comes one year after Evers signed the state budget, which included $125 million for fighting PFAS-statewide. These funds — along with $15 million for area health care providers — are both stuck in the state’s Joint Finance Committee. […] Evers toured Eau Claire’s water treatment plant, which is slated to break ground on a new PFAS removal facility in late July. ‘There’s no reason that if somebody’s making a product that’s making people ill, they shouldn’t have some responsibility,’ Evers said. ‘I think it’s absolutely wrongheaded and I think the people of Wisconsin get it, too.’”

NEWS 8000: “Fighting PFAS contamination has been a central part of Evers’ agenda as governor. Evers took time to explain why fighting the forever chemicals is more important than ever. ‘The bottom line here is that PFAS are still in our environment, people are still making PFAS, people are still finding out at this point in time that PFAS are wrecking our water and making people ill,’ said Evers. Last year, the governor approved $125 million in funds to combat PFAS in the state’s biennial budget. However, Republican lawmakers have refused to release those funds. Governor Evers has since filed a lawsuit against the Republican-led budget committee.”

WEAU: “‘I don’t believe the repairs in Eau Claire, or anywhere else, should be having to pay for this. I think there is accountability and that should be a part of the solution. And the Republican legislators flat out don’t believe that. They are listening to Wisconsin manufacturers in commerce and saying we can’t be hurting companies. Well, who the hell is making this stuff? We have to have accountability there,’ Evers said.”