Connect with us

Wisconsin

The Trump administration issued its plan on PFAS. Here’s why Wisconsin environmental groups have doubts

Published

on

The Trump administration issued its plan on PFAS. Here’s why Wisconsin environmental groups have doubts


play

MADISON – The Trump administration has issued its plan for addressing “forever chemicals” across the country, but environmental groups warn that the actions outlined could be disingenuous and fail to protect people from the toxic chemicals.

The Environmental Protection Agency on April 28 issued its plan to address PFAS, saying it would work with states to ensure that drinking water is protected and cleaned up from the toxic chemicals.

Advertisement

But Wisconsin environmental advocates worry that President Donald Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin are only trying to give the appearance of taking hard actions against polluters who release the compounds into the environment.

Here’s what you should know.

EPA lists steps in addressing PFAS

The agency listed areas researchers and scientists hope to work to address PFAS, including:

  • Designating an agency lead for PFAS.
  • Implementing a testing strategy.
  • Launching efforts to collect air-related PFAS information.
  • Ramping up testing methods.
  • Developing wastewater standards.
  • Investigating immediate PFAS dangers using the Safe Drinking Water Act.
  • Working with Congress to establish a liability framework.
  • Advancing remediation and cleanup for public water systems.
  • Assisting states and tribes with enforcement action.
  • Supporting investigations into violations to hold polluters accountable.

The list shows a robust desire to address PFAS, without harming industry or small businesses that may utilize the contaminants, the EPA says.

Advertisement

“…we are tackling PFAS from all of EPA’s program offices, advancing research and testing, stopping PFAS from getting into drinking water systems, holding polluters accountable, and providing certainty for passive receivers,” Zeldin said in a news release. “This is just a start of the work we will do on PFAS to ensure Americans have the cleanest air, land, and water.” 

Trump’s EPA has already rolled back some protections

Some are already skeptical of the suggestions the agency proposed.

In particular, the desire to address PFAS in wastewater is puzzling, given that the Trump administration halted the rule proposed by the Biden administration in the first few days after Trump took office.

Tony Wilkin Gibart, the executive director for Midwest Environmental Advocates, said he sees the new guidance as an attempt to be perceived as an administration responding to the issue.

Advertisement

“But the wild and the chaotic actions of the administration show that the Trump EPA is not serious about governing or about addressing this issue or taking responsibility for the enormous challenges that we face with issues like PFAS contamination,” he said.

The administration has also cast doubt on whether it will defend the drinking water standards that were put into place by the Biden administration. According to a report from the New York Times, industry groups sued over the rules, calling them “unattainable” and “onerous.” The EPA has until May 12 to decide on the lawsuit and whether it wants to defend the rules.

“I think the change in tone is interesting,” Wilkin Gibart said of the PFAS action announcement.

Advertisement

Wisconsin environmental advocates worry

Wilkin Gibart highlighted the Trump administration’s recent layoffs of thousands of staff members at federal agencies, including the EPA.

“If the EPA is burnt to the ground and there are fewer scientists to do the work of understanding the risk from PFAS compounds or future emerging contaminants, we in Wisconsin and everywhere across the country will be worse off,” he said.

Amy Barrilleaux, the communications director for Clean Wisconsin, shared similar concerns. In particular, she is worried that scientific research on PFAS may not be independent after the mass layoffs.

“The big fear is that it’s not going to be independent research,” she said. “Whoever is going to replace the scientists who’ve been fired from these boards may not be independent.”

Wilkin Gibart also pointed out that many actions listed are already required under law, like adding PFAS to the Toxic Release Inventory.

Advertisement

“In some cases, the bullet points say that the administration will restart efforts that they abruptly ended over the last few months,” he said. “But they’re going to be restarting with far fewer staff and a decreased ability to move any of these things forward.”

What about the paper straw ban?

Another move Trump made quickly after taking office was to ban paper straws, saying they were a “pulpy, soggy mess that torments too many of our citizens.” The document also pointed to PFAS as an issue in paper straws, according to the New York Times.

Though Zeldin has said the science on PFAS is “not yet settled,” the paper straw ban documents outlined how the chemicals are harmful to human health, taking a much firmer stance.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of health and human services, has pledged to work toward removing PFAS in the food system, another potentially proactive step.

Advertisement

Wisconsin is uniquely positioned to handle PFAS even without federal standards

If the EPA and Zeldin decide not to defend the PFAS standards at the federal level, Wisconsin will be uniquely situated to continue its work on protecting residents from the chemicals.

The state implemented standards at 70 parts per trillion in drinking water in 2022 and a requirement for routine testing of public water systems. Surface water and fish are regularly tested throughout the state to ensure safety for those who harvest and consume fish.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has also proposed groundwater standards and is working to update the drinking water standards to lower numbers, based on new science showing that even small amounts of PFAS can impact humans.

Advertisement

Those updated standards should be moved forward in the process of setting new rules, Barrilleaux said, because they will help protect Wisconsinites, no matter what happens at the federal level.

“We want the most protective standard that we can have,” she said.

Advertisement

Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X @SchulteLaura.





Source link

Wisconsin

How to live stream Wisconsin vs Dartmouth: NCAA hockey, TV channel

Published

on

How to live stream Wisconsin vs Dartmouth: NCAA hockey, TV channel


March continues on the ice as Dartmouth Big Green takes on Wisconsin Badgers in a regional semifinal matchup in the 2026 NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament.

MORE: How to live stream NCAA men’s hockey tournament 2026: TV channel, schedule

How to Watch Wisconsin vs Dartmouth

  • Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026

Advertisement

Wisconsin enters the tournament as one of the more complete teams in the field, combining strong defensive structure with high-end offensive talent. The Badgers have leaned on forward Cruz Lucius, a dynamic scorer capable of creating chances in transition, along with Kirsten Simms, who has been a consistent offensive presence throughout the season. On the blue line, Wisconsin’s physicality and ability to limit quality scoring chances have made it a difficult matchup.

Advertisement

Dartmouth arrives as a disciplined and well-coached group that thrives on structure and goaltending. The Big Green will look to slow the game down and rely on key contributors like John Fusco and Cade Webber to control play in their own zone while generating offense through efficient puck movement.

This matchup will likely come down to pace and execution. Wisconsin prefers to push tempo and create scoring opportunities off the rush, while Dartmouth will aim to keep things tight, limit mistakes, and capitalize on special teams opportunities.

Fans can watch the NCAA hockey tournament across the ESPN family of networks, with games airing on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU, while select matchups stream exclusively on ESPN+.

Advertisement

Watch Wisconsin vs Dartmouth Live on Fubo

Advertisement

Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead 

MARCH MADNESS: 2026 Sweet 16 TV schedule, game times & dates for NCAA Tournament

NFL: Puka Nacua’s attorney downplays biting allegation, claims ‘blackmail’

MLB: Traded Blue Jays outfielder who ‘hated’ Ross Atkins gets honest about GM

NBA: Ranking the 15 teams with best chance to win NBA Finals

Advertisement

SPORTS MEDIA: Pat McAfee makes $100k charity wager with Brewers star for MLB Opening Day

Advertisement

ENTERTAINMENT: ABC teases Taylor Frankie Paul ‘Bachelorette’ season despite ongoing drama



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for March 25, 2026

Published

on

Wisconsin Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for March 25, 2026


play

The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Advertisement

Here’s a look at March 25, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 25 drawing

07-21-55-56-64, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 25 drawing

Midday: 6-0-9

Evening: 8-8-8

Advertisement

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 25 drawing

Midday: 2-3-0-0

Evening: 4-4-1-3

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning All or Nothing numbers from March 25 drawing

Midday: 01-02-04-08-09-10-11-12-19-20-21

Advertisement

Evening: 04-05-06-07-09-10-13-14-16-18-21

Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Badger 5 numbers from March 25 drawing

02-09-15-18-29

Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning SuperCash numbers from March 25 drawing

02-06-15-18-24-26, Doubler: N

Advertisement

Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Megabucks numbers from March 25 drawing

09-13-18-28-37-38

Check Megabucks payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

  • Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
  • Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
  • Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.

Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?

No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.

When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
  • All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
  • All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
  • Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.

That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **

Advertisement

WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.



Source link

Continue Reading

Wisconsin

Wisconsin native and American Idol contestant waiting to see if she advances

Published

on

Wisconsin native and American Idol contestant waiting to see if she advances


GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) – Wisconsin native and American Idol contestant Genevieve Heyward is anxiously waiting to see if she makes it to the top 14.

Two Mondays ago, she sang “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan, and the judges had nothing but good things to say.

We spoke with Genevieve about exceeding her own expectations as she waits for the results.

“I just think going into any of these, specifically American Idol, you kind of have to just go in, and you got to be grounded through it. But that’s the other thing I’ve learned. You just got to stay grounded and don’t have any expectations for what you think is going to happen. You almost have to ride the wave,” said Heyward.

Advertisement

Viewers will find out if she advances to the next round on Monday, March 30th, right here on WBAY-TV 2.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending