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Republicans block tougher enforcement of PFAS chemicals

PFAS Pollution
Posted at 3:52 PM, Dec 18, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-18 16:52:53-05

WISCONSIN — Republican lawmakers have blocked the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources from enforcing some new regulations designed to keep some PFAS chemicals out of the environment.

The Legislature’s GOP-controlled rules committee on Friday voted 6-4 along party lines to strip key language from a newly-adopted rule limiting the use of firefighting foam containing the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

Democrats accused the committee of “neutering” the state’s first law aimed at curbing PFAS contamination.

But the committee’s Republican leaders agreed with industry groups who argued the DNR overstepped its authority.

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