Contaminants of Emerging Concern

WGF Attends Informational Session on Neonics at WI Capitol

Yellow-banded bumblebee (Bombus terricola), a Wisconsin species of special concern, Wood County, 2025, photo by Carolyn Pralle

Capitol and downtown Madison, Image via Pixabay

WGF Attends Informational Session on Neonics at WI Capitol

by Paul Heinen, WGF Policy Director

About the Session and Neonics

Wisconsin’s Green Fire (WGF) attended an information session on September 8, 2025 at the Wisconsin Capitol on neonicotinoids, a class of chemicals commonly called “neonics.” The session was held by …

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Opportunity for Action – Federal PFAS amendments

Photo: Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) containing PFAS at use in a fire at a city of Madison electric substation in July, 2019.

Opportunity for Action – Federal PFAS amendments

Wisconsin’s Green Fire is part of a statewide coalition of groups working on PFAS (the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances also known as “forever chemicals”) in Wisconsin drinking water, soils, and people. PFAS can cause serious environmental and human health problems.

We encourage you to consider taking action with us on …

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Governor Invites WGF to Statewide Water Events

Jim Baumann, Gov. Evers, and Paul Heinen at tour of Municipal Well 15, Madison WI

by Paul Heinen, WGF Policy Director

WGF joins Gov. Evers on Two Tours of Water Treatment Facilities

During the week of July 14, 2025, Governor Evers travelled around the state to talk with local officials about clean water infrastructure. Gov. Evers invited Wisconsin’s Green Fire to attend two of these meetings. Clean water funding is an important …

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PFAS Summit in Wausau

Group photo from PFAS Summit in Wausau, June 5, 2025

PFAS Summit in Wausau

Group photo from PFAS Summit in Wausau, June 5, 2025

On June 4-5, 2025, Wisconsin’s Green Fire participated in the first in-person summit of the statewide PFAS coalition. As you may know, PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These “forever chemicals” are common in many household and industrial products but …

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Wisconsin Neonics Forum – Oct. 30, 2024

Wisconsin Neonics Forum in Madison on October 30, 2024, attendees in crowd

Written by Paul Heinen, WGF Policy Director, Edited by Carolyn Pralle, WGF Communications and Outreach Coordinator

Wisconsin’s Green Fire (WGF) co-sponsored the first-ever Wisconsin Neonics Forum in Madison on October 30, 2024.

Our attendees to the Wisconsin Neonics Forum included executive director Meleesa Johnson, work group members Mark Asplund and Bill Fisher, agricultural projects coordinator Ben …

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WGF Comments on DNR’s PFOAS Guidance

splashing water

Responding to WDNR Draft Guidance for PFOA and PFAS in Water

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) is developing guidance for minimization plans of wastewater treatment systems regarding two of the most common forms of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS. Those two forms include perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). …

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PFAS Update: Status of the $125M in “PFAS Trust Fund”

Madison, Wisconsin, Buildings image. Free for use, via Pixabay.

PFAS Update: Status of the $125M in “PFAS Trust Fund”

At Wisconsin’s Green Fire, our Contaminants of Emerging Concern Work Group continues working to advance a science-based approach for managing PFAS in Wisconsin waters, soils, and communities. In this blog post, we’re summarizing some of the recent state-level matters on funding for communities to treat PFAS …

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Discussing PFAS with Gov. Evers

Governor Tony Evers and WGF Executive Director Meleesa Johnson

by Meleesa Johnson, WGF Executive Director

Governor Tony Evers (left) and WGF Executive Director Meleesa Johnson (right) in Marshfield, March 14, 2024

On March 14th, I was proud to represent Wisconsin’s Green Fire (WGF) at an event in Marshfield to discuss PFAS funding with Governor Tony Evers. PFAS are the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances famous …

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WGF Asks Gov. Evers to Veto SB 312

WGF’s letter to Governor Evers requesting he veto SB 312.

On February 26, 2024, Wisconsin’s Green Fire (WGF) sent a letter to Governor Tony Evers, asking him to veto Senate Bill 312 (SB 312). For months, leaders from WGF worked with the authors of this bill in attempts to make it beneficial …

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