DNR policy board reversal welcome news for French Island residents

It is a rare occurrence, so it is worthy of note. The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature has decided not to stand in the way of Governor Tony Evers. Evers sought to control pollution from what are called forever chemicals by placing limits on the amount of the chemicals allowed in our groundwater, surface water and drinking water. The DNR had recommended limits on certain chemicals in our groundwater, but the conservative majority refused to establish an allowable amount of chemicals for most of the state’s drinking water. As a result, people on French Island and many other locations in the state continue to drink bottled water because their wells are so contaminated with these PFAS chemicals that they can’t drink from them. This about-face is welcome news for those residents, as well as those in many other Wisconsin cities where PFAS levels have rendered their water undrinkable. This has been a long road for those families, and the reversal by the DNR board to adopt more strict limits won’t allow them to turn on their taps right away. But it is good that our two parties can work together on something to help the residents of the state.