Have a Question About PFAS?

The Wisconsin DNR is slowly looking at addressing the issue of manure spills and their impact, but local farmers are feeling targeted by the potential new regulations.

For decades, sewage sludge from thousands of wastewater treatment plants has been used nationwide as cropland fertilizer. But while the sludge offers farmers a cheap source of fertilizer, there long have been concerns about contaminants in the material — and attention of late has turned to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

Representatives from a number of Michigan communities—Oscoda, Flint, Detroit and Belmont among them—gathered on Wednesday to call on the U.S. Air Force for action on PFAS cleanup.

State environmental officials are reviewing claims by multiple West Michigan residents that a coal ash storage site near Lake Michigan is contaminating drinking water wells.

Under an executive order from Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, the Wisconsin DNR and Departments of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection have to create a website on the chemicals known as PFAS, collaborate with municipalities and wastewater treatment plants to identify PFAS sources and consider PFAS when developing fish and wildlife consumption advisories.

The National Park Service says three consecutive days of tests have been positive, including two days with no detection of cyanide.

Great Lakes bats have taken a big hit over the past decade, with some species reduced by as much as 90 percent. The cause? A wasting disease called white-nose syndrome.

Michigan, after legislation banning the ban of plastic bags was introduced in 2016, is now looking at new legislation that will undo that.