Sen. Smith Calls on Republican Majority to Act on PFAS

MADISON – Today, Sen. Jeff Smith (D – Brunswick) joined bill author, Sen. Melissa Agard (D – Madison) and his legislative colleagues in introducing the Chemical Level Enforcement and Remediation (CLEAR) Act.

The CLEAR Act aims to stop the contamination from PFAS chemicals through mitigation, testing, strict enforcement standards and help for communities affected by PFAS. PFAS are human-made, forever chemicals that are often found in household products and the environment, including Wisconsin water sources, soil and air. PFAS are proven to cause serious health issues, which include certain types of cancer, developmental delays, thyroid and heart issues and infertility and low birth weight, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Sen. Smith released the following statement in response to the introduction of the CLEAR Act:                                              

“Water is our most precious resource – we must do everything we can to protect it. The CLEAR Act is one solid step we can take to address PFAS contamination. It’s up to us to preserve a healthier, livable state for our future generations.

“Wisconsinites are depending on state leaders to act today. No region of the state is immune to the increasing threat of water contamination. I hope my Republican colleagues realize this and step up to support this commonsense legislation."

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