Sen. Wimberger: Evers’ PFAS Plan Full of Holes, Unanswered Questions

Senator Wimberger Blasts Evers's PFAS Plan

The Republican lawmaker who is leading the effort in the Wisconsin legislature to clean the state’s water and deal with PFAS isn’t impressed with Gov. Tony Evers’ latest proposal.

Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Oconto, on Wednesday said the governor’s pitch this week to spend $145 million on PFS clean-up and new PFAS standards lacks any real specifics or solutions.

“Evers did not present a plan. He announced he will have a plan by the time he announces his budget request,” Wimberger said.

The governor has proposed doing something about PFAS contamination across Wisconsin each of the past four years.

"This is an urgent issue, and we cannot afford more years of inaction and obstruction,” Evers said in a statement. “I urge Republicans and Democrats to work together to do what’s best for our kids and Wisconsin’s families by investing in critical efforts to improve water quality and get contaminants out of our water in our next state budget.”

Wimberger said the governor has been the one to hold things up.

Wimberger guided a plan through the legislature last year, only for Evers to veto it.

"Gov. Evers states his future plan will incorporate protecting innocent landowners and also prioritizing grants. That was exactly what my bill SB 312 did last year and he vetoed it," Wimberger added. "[But] I asked gov Evers over a year ago, and again in December , for his definition of ‘innocent landowner’ so I could incorporate it in my legislation. He has not given me one to date. Whatever he has planned is not a bipartisan effort. I don’t know why he refuses to work together on this if we share the same goals now."

Republicans have said in the past that the Evers Administration is more focused on finding someone to sue over PFAS levels than actually cleaning the state’s water.

Wimberger on Wednesday said Evers needs to answer for the state use of biosolids that pump PFAS into the ground and water across southeast Wisconsin before he goes to court. Especially against landowners who simply find high PFAS levels on their property.

“Gov Evers and the DNR are the largest PFAS polluters in the state,” Wimberger added. “Spreading PFAS-laden biosolids at 150,000-parts-per-trillion on thousands of farms in 1.5 dry tons per acre. In his statement he calls for ending the practice. He’s responsible for it.”

Wimberger also said he plans to challenge the governor’s pierce tag.

State law requires the legislature to approve of any plan that costs $10 million or more. Evers told lawmakers this week that his PFAS proposal will cost just $9.9 million.