SB1104: Bill Text

Mediator for municipalities seeking alternate water sources due to PFAS

The bill creates an option for DNR to appoint a neutral, third-party mediator to help negotiate between municipalities and responsible parties when one municipality needs to obtain an alternate water source or connect to a water source within a different municipality as a result of PFAS contamination.

Under the bill, the mediator may assist the parties in coming to an agreement or, if no agreement is reached, recommend a solution. The parties to the mediation are responsible for the costs of mediation, as determined by the mediator. The mediator may add additional parties to the negotiation if necessary, and DNR must provide the mediator with technical assistance.

PFAS-containing fire fighting foam appropriation

Current law establishes a continuing appropriation from the environmental fund for the collection of PFAS-containing fire fighting foam. The bill allows this appropriation to also be used to provide assistance to local fire departments in replacing PFAS-containing fire fighting foam with PFAS-free fire fighting foam.

WPDES permit conditions

Under current law, a wastewater treatment facility, and any person that wishes to land spread biosolids or other sludge, must obtain a water pollution permit (WPDES permit) from DNR. DNR is required to include conditions in such permits to ensure compliance with water quality standards.

Under the bill, a WPDES permit that allows the permittee to land spread biosolids must also include a condition that requires the permittee to test the sludge for PFAS, and prohibits the land spreading of the biosolids if PFAS levels exceed levels set by DNR in the WPDES permit. Additionally, a WPDES permit issued to a treatment work must require the permittee to test all sludge for the presence of PFAS and to report the testing results to DNR.

Access to information on solid or hazardous waste

In addition, the bill requires a person who generates solid or hazardous waste at a site or facility under investigation by DNR to provide DNR with access to information relating to any transportation to or treatment, storage, or disposal at another site, facility, or location.

Proof of financial responsibility for PFAS contamination

The bill also provides that DNR may, if it determines doing so is necessary to protect human health or the environment, require a person who possesses or controls or who causes the discharge of PFAS, or who manufactures products that contain intentionally added PFAS, to provide proof of financial responsibility for remediation and long-term care to address contamination by a potential discharge of PFAS or environmental pollution that may be caused by a discharge of PFAS. This financial responsibility requirement does not apply to a municipality, fire department, fire district, water utility, wastewater utility, agricultural producer, or the state.

Environmental justice impacts of PFAS transportation and disposal

The bill requires a person disposing of PFAS, or transporting PFAS for the purpose of disposal, to attempt to the greatest extent possible to avoid disposing of PFAS in, or transporting PFAS to, any location where such disposal or transportation will contribute to environmental justice concerns and to consider all reasonable alternatives for transport and disposal of PFAS. The bill requires DNR to assist in evaluating the environmental justice impacts of a person's PFAS disposal or transportation.

PFAS disposal study

The bill requires DNR to study and analyze different options for disposing of PFAS, including whether the transport of PFAS to certain locations for disposal would present environmental justice concerns. The bill provides $2,000,000 in GPR funding for this purpose.

Legacy PFAS contamination testing

The bill also requires DNR to test for PFAS contamination in soil and groundwater in areas where biosolids have been land applied for at least 10 years and where vulnerable aquifers are present. The bill provides $2,000,000 in GPR funding for this purpose.

Statewide PFAS biomonitoring studies

The bill requires DHS to conduct biomonitoring studies across the state to assess PFAS exposure levels and better understand the factors that affect PFAS levels in residents of different communities. As part of these studies, DHS may survey volunteer participants, test blood samples for PFAS, and analyze the results. The bill authorizes 5.0 additional FTE positions in DHS to conduct these studies and provides $630,000 in annual GPR funding for this purpose.

Report on regulating PFAS as a class

The bill also requires DNR and DHS to submit a joint report to the legislature, no later than June 30, 2026, on the feasibility and advisability of regulating PFAS as one or more classes of substances.

DATCP testing for PFAS

Under current law, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection conducts several statewide monitoring programs, sampling programs, and surveys related to testing groundwater quality for agricultural purposes. The bill requires that, when collecting and testing samples under one of these statewide programs, DATCP must also, at its discretion and where appropriate, test samples for the presence of PFAS.

Funding for statewide PFAS sampling and testing

The bill also increases SEG funding for DNR by $1,480,000 in fiscal year 2023-24 and $730,000 in fiscal year 2024-25 for statewide PFAS sampling and testing activities.

Funding for PFAS substance emergency measures

The bill also increases SEG funding for DNR by $900,000 annually for PFAS emergency measures.

Funding for fire fighting foam collection

The bill also increases SEG funding for DNR by $1,000,000 for the purpose of collecting and disposing of PFAS-containing fire fighting foam.

Funding for PFAS outreach and awareness

The bill also increases GPR funding for DHS by $500,000 annually for PFAS outreach and awareness activities.

DNR PFAS positions

The bill authorizes 12.0 additional GPR positions relating to PFAS in DNR and provides funding for those positions.

DHS PFAS positions

The bill authorizes 4.0 additional GPR positions in DHS for the purpose of recommending groundwater enforcement standards for PFAS and provides funding for those positions.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB1104,1 Section 1 . 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

SB1104,2 Section 2 . 20.370 (4) (ps) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB1104,8,2 20.370 (4) (ps) Fire PFAS-containing fire fighting foam. As a continuing appropriation, from the environmental fund, the amounts in the schedule for the collection and disposal of PFAS-containing fire fighting foam collection and for providing assistance to local fire departments in replacing fire fighting foam that contains PFAS with fire fighting foam that does not contain such substances.

SB1104,3 Section 3 . 20.370 (6) (af) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1104,8,5 20.370 (6) (af) Environmental aids - PFAS community grant program. A sum sufficient for the PFAS community grant program under s. 292.66.

SB1104,4 Section 4. 20.370 (6) (cs) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1104,8,9 20.370 (6) (cs) Environmental aids - assistance for private well owners; PFAS fund. As a continuing appropriation, from the PFAS fund, the amounts in the schedule for providing financial assistance under s. 281.73.

SB1104,5 Section 5 . 20.370 (6) (et) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1104,8,13 20.370 (6) (et) Environmental aids - county well testing grant program. From the PFAS fund, as a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for the county well testing grant program under s. 292.67.

SB1104,6 Section 6. 92.14 (18) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1104,8,18 92.14 (18) PFAS monitoring. As part of any statewide monitoring program, sampling program, or survey conducted by the department, any samples that are collected and tested shall also, at the department's discretion and where appropriate, be tested for the presence of any perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance.

SB1104,7 Section 7. 160.07 (5) of the statutes is renumbered 160.07 (5) (a) and amended to read:

SB1104,9,2 160.07 (5) (a) Within Except as provided under par. (b), within 9 months after transmitting the name of a substance to the department of health services under sub. (2), the department of natural resources shall propose rules establishing the recommendation of the department of health services as the enforcement standard for that substance and publish the notice required under s. 227.16 (2) (e), 227.17 or 227.24 (3).

SB1104,8 Section 8. 160.07 (5) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1104,9,8 160.07 (5) (b) Within 9 months after transmitting the name of a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance to the department of health services under sub. (2), the department of natural resources shall amend its rules to establish the recommendation of the department of health services as the enforcement standard for that substance.

SB1104,9 Section 9 . 160.15 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1104,9,15 160.15 (4) Notwithstanding sub. (1), if an enforcement standard for a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance is adopted under s. 160.07 (5) (b), the department shall apply a preventive action limit for that substance of 20 percent of the concentration established as the enforcement standard, or 10 percent of the concentration established as the enforcement standard if the substance has carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic properties or interactive effects.

SB1104,10 Section 10. 227.135 (6) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1104,9,21 227.135 (6) This section does not apply to a proposed rule of the department of natural resources establishing acceptable levels and standards, performance standards, monitoring requirements, and required response actions for any perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or group or class of such substances in groundwater, drinking water, surface water, air, soil, or sediment.

SB1104,11 Section 11. 227.136 (8) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1104,9,25 227.136 (8) This section does not apply to a proposed rule of the department of natural resources establishing acceptable levels and standards, performance standards, monitoring requirements, and required response actions for any perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or group or class of such substances in groundwater, drinking water, surface water, air, soil, or sediment.

SB1104,12 Section 12. 227.137 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB1104,10,9 227.137 (5) This section does not apply to emergency rules promulgated under s. 227.24, or to rules proposed by the department of natural resources establishing acceptable levels and standards, performance standards, monitoring requirements, and required response actions for any perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or group or class of such substances in groundwater, drinking water, surface water, air, soil, or sediment.

SB1104,13 Section 13. 227.138 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1104,10,15 227.138 (3) This section does not apply to a proposed rule of the department of natural resources establishing acceptable levels and standards, performance standards, monitoring requirements, and required response actions for any perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or group or class of such substances in groundwater, drinking water, surface water, air, soil, or sediment.

SB1104,14 Section 14 . 227.139 (5) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1104,10,21 227.139 (5) This section does not apply to a proposed rule of the department of natural resources establishing acceptable levels and standards, performance standards, monitoring requirements, and required response actions for any perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or group or class of such substances in groundwater, drinking water, surface water, air, soil, or sediment.

SB1104,15 Section 15. 227.19 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB1104,11,3 227.19 (7) Nonapplication. This section does not apply to rules promulgated under s. 227.24, or to rules proposed by the department of natural resources establishing acceptable levels and standards, performance standards, monitoring requirements, and required response actions for any perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or group or class of such substances in groundwater, drinking water, surface water, air, soil, or sediment.

SB1104,16 Section 16. 227.26 (5) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1104,11,9 227.26 (5) This section does not apply to a proposed rule of the department of natural resources establishing acceptable levels and standards, performance standards, monitoring requirements, and required response actions for any perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or group or class of such substances in groundwater, drinking water, surface water, air, soil, or sediment.

SB1104,17 Section 17 . 281.17 (8) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1104,11,14 281.17 (8) (c) 1. The department shall amend its rules to establish the department of health services' recommended enforcement standard for any perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance as the maximum contaminant level for public water systems and water suppliers.

SB1104,11,17 2. The department shall require public water systems and water suppliers to monitor the substances described under subd. 1. in accordance with the requirements established under ss. NR 809.20 to 809.207, Wis. Adm. Code.

SB1104,11,22 3. Public water systems and water suppliers shall use, as an interim best available technology, granular activated carbon, powdered activated carbon, ion exchange resins, nanofiltration, or reverse osmosis to treat the substances described under subd. 1. and any other perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance for which the department of health services has recommended an enforcement standard.

SB1104,11,25 4. Public water systems and water suppliers shall use laboratories certified to analyze drinking water to conduct testing under this paragraph, and shall use the method detection limit for reporting purposes.

SB1104,12,3 5. This paragraph does not apply to any substance for which the department has established a maximum contaminant level in an emergency rule or permanent rule.

SB1104,18 Section 18 . 281.61 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB1104,12,20 281.61 (6) Priority list. The department shall establish a priority list that ranks each safe drinking water loan program project. The department shall promulgate rules for determining project rankings that, to the extent possible, give priority to projects that address the most serious risks to human health, that are necessary to ensure compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 USC 300f to 300j-26, and that assist applicants that are most in need on a per household basis, according to affordability criteria specified in the rules. For the purpose of ranking projects under this subsection, the department shall treat a project to upgrade a public water system to provide continuous disinfection of the water that it distributes as if the public water system were a surface water system that federal law requires to provide continuous disinfection. For the purpose of ranking projects under this subsection, if the department of health services has recommended an enforcement standard for a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance, the department of natural resources shall treat a project relating to that perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance as if a maximum contaminant level for that substance has been attained or exceeded.

SB1104,19 Section 19. 281.73 of the statutes is created to read:

SB1104,12,25 281.73 Aid for private wells with PFAS contamination. (1) The department shall administer a program to provide financial assistance to municipalities located in an area where soil is contaminated with a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance.

SB1104,13,2 (2) From the appropriation under s. 20.370 (6) (cs), the department shall issue to eligible municipalities awards for eligible costs related to any of the following:

SB1104,13,3 (a) Construction of a municipal water system.

SB1104,13,4 (b) Connecting to an existing municipal water system.

SB1104,13,6 (c) Assisting owners of private wells located in the municipality, if appropriate, with the cost of installation of filters, remediation, or well replacement.

SB1104,13,11 (3) The department shall promulgate rules necessary to administer this section, including procedures for submission, review, and determination of applications for assistance under this section. The rules promulgated under this subsection shall give priority to providing assistance to owners of private wells contaminated with a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance.

SB1104,20 Section 20 . 281.79 of the statutes is created to read:

SB1104,13,14 281.79 Negotiations for alternate source of water due to PFAS contamination. (1) Definitions. In this section:

SB1104,13,16 (a) “Municipality” means a city, village, town, county, utility district, lake protection district, sewerage district, or municipal airport.