The Town of Campbell continues to search for funding to help mitigate the effects of PFAS.
TOWN OF CAMPBELL, Wis. (WXOW) – Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R) WI 3rd Congressional District, held a press conference at the town hall in the town of Campbell, announcing his support of federal funding to support PFAS removal as well as redoing water infrastructure in the community.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden telling Town of Campbell that it is the federal government’s responsibility to clean up the PFAS in the community’s water, as it was the same federal government that mandated the forever chemical being used.
“Your ability to drink water in your home in the United States of America in 2023 should not be affiliated with a political jersey,” Van Orden said.
Van Orden saying he’s been working on a bi-partisan bill with a Democratic colleague out of California. He also noted that PFAS were mandated by the federal government for fire fighting certain types of fires. That should hold the federal government responsible for paying for PFAS cleanup and restoration efforts.
“And when there’s issues like this I want you to know that’s how I approach this,” Van Orden said. “Whatever your politics are, I don’t care. I don’t care what anyone’s politics are around this map or around this district, you have to be able to drink water.”
Federal money would take time. According to Van Orden, he was hopeful that funding would begin next year. As it is a bi-partisan issue with heartfelt urgency, he noted it could be sooner rather than later.
From the state level, Wisconsin is working on a bill this fall, determining which communities get what share of the 125 million dollars designated for PFAS funding in the state budget.
Town of Campbell supervisor Lee Donahue has urged residents to contact their state representatives to make sure Senate and Assembly bills 312 include communities that currently rely on private wells, like Campbell. Additionally, letting the representatives know their views on allowing the DNR to be able to hold polluters responsible for contamination.
Contact info for local state representatives:
– Sen. Brad Pfaff: (608) 266-5490
email: Sen.Pfaff@legis.wisconsin.gov
– Rep. Jill Billings: (608) 237-9195
