MARINETTE — Gov. Tony Evers stopped at Marinette’s Water Utility Office Monday to tour the plant alongside Marinette Mayor Steve Genisot and Warren Howard, the city’s waste and wastewater operations manager.
During his visit, he also touched on Senate Bill 312. The bill would create a Municipal PFAS Grant Program and prevent private landowners from being held accountable for PFAS pollution on their property.
Evers had previously expressed concern about SB 312, passed by the Senate and Assembly, and indicated he did not support it.
He said he proposed a compromise to keep big-name polluters on the hook.
“I think we do have to hold people accountable,” Evers said. “The bill that the legislature put together took that out. Our compromise did that.”
Johnson Controls Inc./Tyco has been named the responsible party by the DNR in the area for a pollution plume in Marinette County.
He said the $125 million he had set aside in his budget for PFAS funding would not be available even if SB 312 passed.
“My concern is that people are getting all bent out of shape one way or the other on that bill — it has nothing to do with getting money out the door,” he said. “Joint Finance Committee could’ve released that money a long, long time ago. They could release it today if they wanted to. The bill has nothing to do with releasing that money.”
He said the money should be given directly to the DNR. There are processes in place to make sure it’s distributed appropriately.
“They’re experts at getting money out the door,” Evers said.
The visit was mainly informative, with two alderpersons and representatives of the Water Utility Commission, Ken Keller and Rick Polzin, present. Jennifer Friday, Town of Peshtigo chairperson, was also present and said that Senate Bill 312 would get the ball rolling in Marinette in her brief introduction to the governor.
Earlier this month, Friday and the Town of Peshtigo Board of Supervisors passed a resolution asking Gov. Evers to sign SB 312.
Genisot had an audience with the governor throughout the private tour. He said he told the governor that the city has to test for PFAS each time it digs into the ground for a project. If there’s a certain level of PFAS, the city can qualify for grants up to 70% of loan forgiveness.
“We have a few that are going to be exceeding,” he said.
Howard said more testing is inevitable, as wastewater and water treatment plants must test for PFAS within the next two years. Marinette has a head start on what to do when a community finds PFAS.
“The mayor was on the ground from day one,” Howard said.
Genisot said the city can no longer wait for PFAS funding.
“The legislators and governor have to get on the same page,” Genisot said.
The governor agreed.
“People here in Marinette are doing everything they can,” he said. “They have a great system and great people working here. I don’t want them to be harmed by us not doing our job.”
Sen. Eric Wimberger, who represents Marinette County and authored SB 312, issued a statement following Evers’ visit.
“If Governor Evers wants solutions to the PFAS crisis, he should listen to the needs of affected communities and sign Senate Bill 312 into law,” said Wimberger. “His threatened veto will just result in more waiting and inaction for people and communities who cannot afford to wait anymore.”
He mentioned the teamwork needed to finalize SB 312.
“This legislation is the result of conversations with dozens of stakeholder groups, affected communities, and the DNR, and I am proud of the work it took to get to this point,” Wimberger said. “Every person in Wisconsin deserves to have clean, safe drinking water. This bill provides pollution victims with the programs and protections they need to move forward with testing and remediation. While Governor Evers claims to have the same goal, he threatens to veto this needed relief with the stated goal of keeping pollution victims on the hook for pollution they didn’t cause.”
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