COLLECTION: PFAS -- 'forever' chemicals -- in the news in 2021
They are known as "forever" chemicals, and PFAS are believed to be polluting water through firefighting foam. On French Island, the foam used at the La Crosse Regional Airport for decades has now been revealed to have polluted at least 40 private drinking water wells beyond consumption, with more testing on the way. Both state and local officials have taken the first steps toward legal action against manufacturers of the foam, but those impacted are skeptical that those lawsuits will directly benefit them. Here is our 2021 coverage so far.Â
(21) updates to this series since Updated
A committee approved spending $25,000 in bottled water service for residents in the town of Campbell whose drinking water has been contaminated.
The city has deployed $25,000 worth of bottled water to the impacted homes as long-term solutions are discussed.
After another round of testing, a report of the findings will be sent to the DNR, while city staff begins to brainstorm solutions to providing safe drinking water to those impacted.
"I don't remember being concerned about anything in the world when I was a kid. Much less our water."
More than 125 French Island residents have filed claims against the city of La Crosse for its role in the pollution of drinking water by a toxic group of chemicals.
The La Crosse Common Council voted Thursday to approve hiring two law firms to represent the city in litigation against chemical companies involved in the PFAS contamination.
The La Crosse Common Council voted Thursday to approve hiring two law firms to represent the city in litigation against chemical companies involved in the PFAS contamination.
"I know PFAS are all across the state and I can't imagine that the Republicans are going to balk at putting money towards the mitigation of PFAS," Evers said.
"Congress should stay nimble and continue to listen to folks back home in case we missed things or overlooked things that still need to be addressed," Kind said.
Officials with the town of Campbell are asking the city of La Crosse to test all private wells on French Island for PFAS contamination to better determine the extent of the pollution.
Nobody should lose sleep wondering if the water coming out of their tap is safe for their family.
The grocery chain Hy-Vee Inc. announced Wednesday that it is donating more than 25,000 gallons of bottled water to the town of Campbell in response to the PFAS water contamination crisis.
A number of closed landfills across the state, including in Winona County, have been revealed to have an excessive amount of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), surpassing the Minnesota Department of Health’s guidance values for drinking water.
The plan includes pledging to provide access to clean water to any residents on the island who need it, regardless of if their wells tested for the "forever chemical" or not.
Multiple state agencies announced Thursday they will provide bottled water to all residents of a La Crosse County town after issuing a temporary drinking water advisory for French Island in the wake of the PFAS contamination.
Do the elevated polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels at the closed landfill pose any kind of threat to the health and safety of those who consume Winona County’s drinking water?
The city will keep the newly-contaminated Well 26 online this summer, but does not plan to use it unless absolutely necessary.
Happy Earth Day to all of you. Earth Day began in 1970 to raise awareness of the need for environmental protection. Today it is more relevant than ever.
The CLEAR Act 2021, which was first introduced in 2019 but not passed, aims to aid municipalities in PFAS mitigation through more testing and solutions.
