Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are asking the Legislature’s Republican-controlled Joint Committee on Finance to release $10 million the state received earlier this summer as part of a lawsuit settlement with Tyco Fire Products over PFAS contamination in the Marinette area. 

In June, Tyco and the state reached the settlement agreement, marking one of the first efforts in the state to hold a polluter responsible for PFAS pollution. The Marinette area’s water has been affected by PFAS contamination for years. 

Under state law, money received by the state in lawsuit settlements is under the control of JFC — even though the settlement requires that the money be spent by the DNR for PFAS remediation. 

On Thursday, Evers and DNR Secretary Karen Hyun urged the committee to release the funds quickly so the money can get out to residents. Evers said that after the DNR held listening sessions with community members, the settlement funds would be directed to help people with private wells test for PFAS and replace contaminated wells. 

“Every Wisconsinite deserves to have clean, safe water to drink, and for the past seven-plus years, my administration and I have been working to fight these forever chemicals that are affecting the health and well-being of kids, families, farmers, livestock, crops, and communities all over Wisconsin,” Evers said in a statement. “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.”

The DNR collaborated with local leaders and held listening sessions to develop the plan for spending the settlement money “to ensure these funds are put to good use and address the urgent needs of the impacted communities,” Evers said.

“I urge lawmakers to act quickly and approve our request by releasing these funds as quickly as possible so we can continue this fight and ensure Wisconsinites have clean drinking water,” he added.

The money has been deposited in the state’s PFAS trust fund, which was created as part of the 2023-25 budget to help the state remediate PFAS pollution. Earlier this year, Evers signed into law a bill that creates a number of programs aimed at getting that money out the door.