The Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear a case challenging the state's ability to require businesses to clean up contamination, including from PFAS chemicals.
Madeline Heim and Laura Schulte report for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
In short:
- The case, filed by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, disputes the Department of Natural Resources' authority to enforce cleanup under the state's spills law.
- Lower courts ruled the DNR cannot require PFAS cleanup without going through a formal rule-making process to designate them as hazardous.
- PFAS, linked to health risks like cancer, have contaminated communities across Wisconsin, where the spills law has been crucial for environmental protection.
Key quote:
"It implicates a bedrock and incredibly consequential environmental protection for the state of Wisconsin."
— Tony Wilkin Gibart, executive director of Midwest Environmental Advocates
Why this matters:
PFAS contamination poses significant health risks. Limiting the state's ability to enforce cleanups could leave communities vulnerable and hinder efforts to address ongoing pollution.
