Frederica Freyberg:
Action and inaction on the major problem of PFAS contamination in Wisconsin. On the action part, new federal maximum levels have been set at four parts per trillion, much lower than Wisconsin’s 70 parts per trillion. On the inaction part, Republican lawmakers this week rejected Governor Tony Evers call to meet and approve spending $125 million to help deal with PFAS. Meanwhile state and national lawsuits against parties deemed responsible for PFAS contamination are in various stages of settlement or verdict. One lodged by Wisconsin against Tyco Fire Products goes to trial later this year. Tyco manufactured firefighting foam used at its training facility in Marinette. It and surrounding communities including Peshtigo are now hot spots in Wisconsin for PFAS contamination. With health problems associated with exposure to PFAS and years of testing and fighting and looking for help, our next guest is former chair of the town of Peshtigo board, Cindy Boyle. Thanks very much for being here.

Cindy Boyle:
Thank you for having me. I’m happy to discuss this.

Frederica Freyberg:
Just to set the stage, how long have you been fighting to try to address PFAS in your hometown and your own property?

Cindy Boyle:
This November will be eight years.

Frederica Freyberg:
So there have been hundreds of millions of dollars hoping to come to the rescue of places like Peshtigo from feds, the state, lawsuit settlements, even company outlays. Has that money yet made a difference to you?

Cindy Boyle:
I’m encouraged by the fact there is significant funding coming to states on what appears to be a consistent basis at this point. Far more than we could have hoped for even seven years ago, or six years ago. To my knowledge, not in a significant meaningful way as far as a permanent water solution for our community’s problem, no, not yet but I know the DNR does have mechanisms in which to distribute and allocate some of that funding to actually start putting it to use and putting it to work. We just have to now hopefully get that funding released from the trust and into the DNR’s direction.

Frederica Freyberg:
Because as to the infighting between the governor and Republican legislators over $125 million, what do residents like yourself think of that fighting in Madison when you are looking for this urgent help?

Cindy Boyle:
It’s an important question and it’s complicated, as are all things PFAS. But I wonder — I understood very well that SB312 legislation and understood the arguments on both sides of that. I’m concerned — I’m grateful first of all that Governor Evers did veto it. The primary reason for that is because we as a state cannot afford to have in any way, shape or form, this bill’s law weakened. This bill’s law is the single mechanism by which residents in the state of Wisconsin have protection with the DNR. If they lose that protection in any way, shape or form, our community, for one, would never have benefitted from the help they have provided us. So we need to keep that foremost in our minds as things go forward. I am very, very hopeful that new legislation will make its way through or that the finance committee will at least release those funds as intended over a year ago. It needs to start being able to be put to work.

Frederica Freyberg:
So PFAS is complicated. All the remediations and all the responsible parties and all of it. Has this divided your community?

Cindy Boyle:
More recently I would say people get a little bit worn out. Maybe they get a little defeated and feel like there isn’t going to be a solution or maybe people thought the partial settlement that Tyco distributed through our community was the best they could hope for and are now choosing to not think about it. I don’t know. I know the topic too well to do any of those things, so myself and others who are in community leadership roles and advocacy roles are working very hard in our community to continue moving forward toward permanent safe water and accountability for the responsible party.

Frederica Freyberg:
Meanwhile, you describe being excited about a new announcement out of the EPA. What was that?

Cindy Boyle:
Yes. So this morning the Biden administration finalized a rule for the first time in 40 years. They are deeming PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances, which is critical because it will qualify them under CERCLA, more commonly understood as Superfund. Now, that seems very contradictory to say that you would ever hope your community would be considered for Superfund because basically it means you live in a very polluted area but it also means the EPA has the authority to come in and hold responsible parties accountable to make sure they do adequate, comprehensive remediation for things like surface water, soils, as well as help innocent land owners such as myself, make sure that we have permanent safe water solutions. Without today’s announcement, there was uncertainty around the next steps for this. With today’s announcement, we are very vindicated and encouraged and optimistic that there is still a strong path forward, so we are very, very grateful this rule has gone into place.

Frederica Freyberg:
Combine that with recent EPA setting the max PFAS level at four parts per trillion, what was that like?

Cindy Boyle:
Equally amazing. It doesn’t impact our community directly because our community is on private drinking wells but last — well, a week ago Wednesday, the rule that you just referenced, that is for water systems that are on utilities. So all the people who are on water through a public utility now have the assurance of the protections, especially for Wisconsin, we had as you mentioned earlier, a limit of 70 parts per trillion and the EPA adjusted that now to four parts per trillion, which is a more protective number. We are very grateful for that. That too had not happened in 30 years so these are really significant steps. I’m going to give it to you straight. That tells me two things: Industry lobbyists are very good at their job. Number two, it tells you how bad PFAS is that those two rules still were made.

Frederica Freyberg:
All right. Cindy Boyle, we leave it there. Thank you very much.

Cindy Boyle:
Thank you very much.