Groups from across Wisconsin gathered in person two weeks ago to build momentum and tackle the growing PFAS contamination crisis. The meeting included representatives from some of the state’s most heavily impacted areas, including Marinette, Peshtigo, French Island, Wausau, and the Town of Stella. Doug Oitzinger, founding member and Treasurer of Save Our Water—S0H2Ospoke about the event, saying, “We came together to gain a deeper understanding of one another’s perspectives.”

Oitzinger also addressed concerns over recent legislation, saying, “The Governor made it clear that the bill contained unsupported language—this language would have deprived the DNR of its authority to hold Tyco accountable for cleaning up contamination.”

The meeting comes on the heels of encouraging news from the Joint Finance Committee, which unanimously recommended an additional $726 million in bonding authority for Wisconsin’s Environmental Improvement Fund as part of the state’s two-year budget. Advocates are urging lawmakers to take the next step by releasing $125 million earmarked in the budget to help communities secure safe drinking water and begin addressing contamination sites.