In a 28 to 1 vote, the Marinette County Board overwhelmingly supported a November 12 resolution backing bi-partisan efforts led by Wisconsin State Senator Dave Hansen and Representative John Nygren to reach passage of pending bills (SB 302/AB 321 and SB 310/AB 323). Together, the proposed bills will require the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to establish and enforce various standards for toxic PFAS chemicals for a variety of mediums including soil, surface water and groundwater.
The resolution states that PFAS contamination has been found in the County’s surface and groundwater and in materials land spread on fields, posing a risk to public health.
According to the Wisconsin DNR, PFAS has impacted the environment in and around the city of Marinette and the town of Peshtigo. PFAS has been discharged to the environment as a result of testing fire-fighting foams during outdoor trainings and demonstrations at the Fire Technology Center.
PFAS was also discharged to the sanitary sewer in the city of Marinette. As a result of this discharge, PFAS entered Marinette’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, partitioned to the plant’s biosolids and were then landspread on fields in the area.
Research indicates PFAS poses a risk to human health in a variety of ways including increasing cholesterol levels, decreasing how well a body responds to vaccines, increasing the risk of thyroid disease and decreasing fertility in women, the resolution states.
People can be exposed to PFAS by drinking contaminated water, eating fish caught from PFAS contaminated water, or accidentally ingesting contaminated soil or dust, the resolution emphasizes.
The Marinette County Board will be forwarding the resolution to the governor, assembly members and senators representing Marinette County, and the Wisconsin Counties Association.
Marinette County Resolution 11-12-2019 Final
Photograph of PFAS foam, Wisconsin DNR.