State regulators in Wisconsin can now require polluters to clean up PFAS contamination even before the chemicals are formally listed as hazardous, the state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
Scott Bauer and Todd Richmond report for The Associated Press.
In short:
- The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 5-2 that the state Department of Natural Resources can require polluters to clean up PFAS under its existing authority, without first designating the chemicals as hazardous substances.
- The decision reverses lower court rulings in favor of a dry cleaning business, Leather Rich, that had challenged the DNR's authority to enforce PFAS testing and remediation.
- Environmental groups and the governor praised the ruling, while business groups warned it could create confusion and lead to costly legal exposure for companies unaware of which chemicals are regulated.
Key quote:
“Wisconsin’s Spills Law safeguards human health and the environment in real time by directly regulating parties responsible for a hazardous substance discharge.”
— Justice Janet Protasiewicz, Wisconsin Supreme Court
Why this matters:
Linked to cancers, liver disease, and developmental issues in infants, PFAS exposure remains widespread, especially in communities near industrial or military sites. Wisconsin’s move to empower regulators ahead of formal chemical designation marks a broader debate over how precautionary public health policy should be in the face of emerging science. As federal PFAS limits remain in flux under the Trump administration, state-level decisions like this shape how quickly — or slowly — polluted communities see relief and how environmental risks are managed going forward.
Related: Global action on harmful PFAS chemicals is long overdue: Study
