You don’t see it often. Even less so in Wisconsin — bipartisan legislation.
The state got that last year in restricting firefighting foam containing PFAS, compounds that have been linked to cancer and other illnesses that have turned up drinking wells across the U.S.
After some debate, lawmakers agreed to regulate the use and disposal of PFAS. But, after pushback last week from industry groups and Republican lawmakers, the rule was tabled by the state’s Natural Resources Board.
Regardless, it’s not an issue in La Crosse. That dilemma was taken care of months ago. “Madison got way out in front of it, and we kind of followed on their lead,” La Crosse Fire Chief Ken Gilliam said Thursday on La Crosse Talk PM. “Right around the beginning of the year, we made a transition and got rid of all of our PFAS-containing foam, and replaced it with a safe alternative.