City and state organizations request release of $10 million in PFAS funding

NORTHEAST WIS. – A formal request was filed by Governor Tony Evers with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on Thursday, Aug. 20, requesting that the Wisconsin State Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance release the settlement funds paid by Tyco.

Tyco Fire Products LP was ordered to pay nearly $10 million to the PFAS Trust Fund to help provide safe and clean drinking water to those impacted by contamination from Tyco’s Fire Technology Center in Marinette.

The payment of $9,999,885.50 has been deposited into the trust, but has not yet been distributed.

This payment was ordered by the Brown County Circuit Court on June 5 to resolve the State of Wisconsin v. Tyco Fire Products complaint that alleged Tyco violated Spill Laws in 2022.

These funds will be used to test for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), replace contaminated wells and install treatment systems.

“I’m proud of our work to create the PFAS Trust Fund, which is available to help ensure the state can support Wisconsinites in getting contaminants like PFAS out of their water for good,” Gov. Evers shared in a press release.

Additionally, the company will have to take action in certain areas to address PFAS contamination from the fire technology center.

According to a map from the DNR, Tyco will also be required to provide safe drinking water to residents with private wells affected by PFAS contamination in the Potable Well Sampling Area (PWSA).

Tyco will not be required to take further action for those within the Expanded Site Investigation Area (ESIA). Instead, the trust will be used to pay for safe drinking water for those within that area.

“The PWSA and ESIA are located in the Town of Peshtigo, whose residents access drinking water through private wells. PFAS contamination has been detected in the water in private wells in both the PWSA and the ESIA,” the letter stated.

It continued, “The impacted community has expressed a priority for Tyco’s payment to be used to provide safe drinking water to residents with private wells affected by PFAS contamination by the FTC, focusing first on residents in the ESIA.”

It may also be used for installing water treatment systems, constructing new wells, paying for long-term maintenance and/or providing blood serum testing.

Save Our Water (S.O.H2O) — a local nonprofit that has been advocating against PFAS contamination — shared a press release on Aug. 24 in support of releasing the funds.

“The request follows two DNR Listening Sessions at NWTC in which citizens offered their opinions on how the money should be spent. The request largely follows what was suggested by the community,” the nonprofit wrote.

This letter to the state joint committee on finance was endorsed by DNR Secretary Karen Hyun, who said, “The DNR supports the community’s priorities of safe water and wants to move quickly to get financial and technical support to those who need it.”

The request letter was backed by 11 other DNR staff members as well as Senator Mary Felzkowski (R -Tomahawk), Senator Eric Wimberger (R -Gillett) and Representative Jeffrey Mursau (R -Crivitz).

For more information about work being done to combat PFAS pollution, visit https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/PFAS.