PHOTO: Courtesy of WLUK
(WTAQ-WLUK) — On Tuesday, Gov. Tony Evers vetoed a Republican-backed bill that would have created grants for municipalities to fight pollution from “forever chemicals” known as PFAS.
Lawmakers on both sides are weighing in on the moves.
“I have a lot of disappointment. It accomplished a particular goal which was to not hold pollution victims responsible,” Republican State Senator Eric Wimberger said.
Governor Evers’ decision to veto legislation to combat PFAS is not sitting well with Wimberger. As a cosponsor of the bill, Wimberger said it would’ve given assistance and protections for municipalities, private landowners and waste disposal facilities in testing.
“We want people to feel confident to go ahead and test because we’re not going to dominate them with regulations afterwards,” Wimberger said. “We want them to feel safe to come forward with their PFAS content in their water so then we can get them to help to do it.”
Evers called the bill “not good enough.” In a lengthy statement, the governor said he wants previously approved investments to go through, and without limitations for the DNR to hold those responsible for PFAS contamination, responsible. Wimberger said that would affect the wrong people.
“An emitter is responsible for the pollutant,” Wimberger said. “An emitter is anyone that has a molecule going from their property to another property and it doesn’t matter how it got in the ground.”
In a statement, State Representative Kristina Shelton said:
$125 million was approved through the legislative process to treat and remediate the issue of PFAS pollution in Wisconsin. Since then, there has been ongoing interference from Legislative Republicans looking to attach strings to this critical aid.
State Representative Lori Palmeri added, “The Governor’s veto today sends a strong message. Legislation that lets polluters off the hook for cleaning up their contamination while Wisconsin taxpayers foot the bill is not acceptable.”
Evers called on joint finance to meet Monday to reconsider his plan. The Republicans who control the committee have given no indication they’ll do so.
Multiple environmental groups urged Evers to veto the bill. Other organizations, like the League of Wisconsin Municipalities and Wisconsin Counties Association, supported the measure.
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