The Legislature’s budget writing committee is being urged by Gov. Tony Evers and Department of Natural Resources regulators to release $10 million from the state’s PFAS trust fund, according to a report from Wisconsin Public Radio.
“I urge lawmakers to act quickly and approve our request by releasing these funds as quickly as possible so we can continue this fight and ensure Wisconsinites have clean drinking water,” Evers said in a statement.
The funding, which is meant to help Wisconsin residents who lack clean water due to PFAS pollution of private wells, was secured as part of a settlement with Tyco Fire Products.
Tyco, which has deposited $10 million in the PFAS Trust Fund, was sued by the state for failing to notify state environmental regulators of PFAS contamination from its products.
The fund, which started at $125 million, has grown to a total of $133 million since it was established in the 2023-2025 state budget.
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) don’t break down easily in the environment and they have been linked to health conditions such as thyroid disease and certain types of cancer.
