New Restrictions On PFAS-containing Firefighting Foams Effective Sept. 1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 31, 2020
Contact: Melanie Johnson, DNR policy director, Office of Emerging Contaminants
melaniel.johnson@wisconsin.gov or 608-590-7287

New Restrictions On PFAS-containing

Firefighting Foams Effective Sept. 1

MADISON, Wis. – 2019 Wisconsin Act 101, published on Feb. 6, 2020 and codified in Wisconsin Statutes section 299.48, implements measures that mitigate the discharge of PFAS-containing firefighting foam into the environment, and in doing so supports efforts by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and fire departments to protect the health and safety of Wisconsin residents and the firefighting community.

This law goes into effect on Sept. 1, 2020 and stipulates that the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foams is prohibited with two exceptions: Its use in emergency firefighting operations or testing in an appropriately equipped facility.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large group of human-made chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products worldwide since the 1950s. PFAS do not occur naturally and are widespread in the environment. These chemicals are found in wildlife and fish all over the world, are known to bioaccumulate and can stay in the human body for many years. The discharge of PFAS-containing firefighting foam during emergency fire events or training exercises has been identified as a significant source of PFAS contamination to the environment.

Starting Sept. 1, the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foams is strictly prohibited for the purpose of training. Such foams may only be used in an emergency firefighting or fire prevention operation and for testing purposes in a facility that has implemented appropriate containment, treatment and disposal or storage measures which do not lead to discharges into the environment.

If PFAS-containing foam is used in an emergency, the law requires fire departments to notify the DNR as soon as practicable without hindering firefighting or prevention operations. When testing foam effectiveness or equipment, the DNR must be notified immediately if there is any discharge of PFAS-containing foam into the environment.

The DNR continues to move forward in partnership with Wisconsin’s fire departments to ensure that there are policies in place to protect public health, while supporting the firefighting community in the service that they provide to Wisconsin residents. If you would like to learn more about this newly effective law, please visit the DNR’s webpage on PFAS-containing firefighting foam: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Contaminants/AFFF.html.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 31, 2020
Contact: Katie Praedel, DNR Air Program Monitoring Section Chief
608-259-6108 or katie.praedel@wisconsin.gov

DNR's Mobile Air Monitoring Lab (MAML) stationed along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Sheboygan County. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, Wis. – Mobile laboratories, Raspberry Pi micro-computers, vertical air column monitoring and exploring the use of new, cutting edge techniques for potential monitoring sites are all part of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource Air Program staff's exciting role using fundamental scientific principles, innovation and creativity to tackle the long-standing ground level ozone problem. As a nationally recognized leader in air quality monitoring, Wisconsin is paving the way for new monitoring techniques and tools; and people are watching.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 31, 2020
Contact: Jake Swanson, DNR assistant wildlife communications specialist
Jacob.Swanson@wisconsin.gov or 608-235-4829

Fall Hunting And Trapping Season Forecasts Highlight Hunter Opportunities, Notable Changes To Limits And Zones

Archery and crossbow season begins Sept. 12. Check the DNR website for a full list of upcoming season dates. / Photo Credit: iStock/Ricardo Reitmeyer

MADISON, Wis. – Hunters and trappers across Wisconsin are in the final countdown to the fall season openers. To help get ready, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has pulled together the 2020 fall forecast series, which details everything Wisconsinites need to know ahead of the game.

Forecasts can be found at the links below and on each corresponding species page.

• 2020 Fall Deer Hunting Forecast
• 2020 Fall Upland Game Bird Hunting Forecast
• 2020 Fall Migratory Bird Hunting Forecast
• 2020 Fall Bear Hunting Forecast
• 2020 Fall Furbearer Hunting and Trapping Forecast

More information on hunting, including regulations and season dates, is available on the DNR website. For more updates throughout the fall hunting seasons, follow the DNR on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 1, 2020
Contact: DNRPress@wisconsin.gov

Historic Cleanup Of Lower Fox River

Completed After 17 Years

Millions Of Yards of Contamination Cleaned From Riverbed

The project removed 6.5 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment through hydraulic dredging. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, Wis. – A successful 17 year-long cleanup in the Lower Fox River is complete through collaboration between Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), tribal groups and many private organizations.

“This legendary accomplishment will fundamentally improve the way Wisconsinites live, work and play on the Lower Fox River,” said DNR Secretary Preston D. Cole. “Outdoor recreation contributes $7.8 billion to Wisconsin’s GDP. Thanks to this cleanup work, people recreating on the Fox River will contribute to that bottom line this Labor Day weekend in a way that was simply unthinkable twenty years ago.”

In 2004, the DNR began oversight of the project in partnership with EPA when the cleanup started along 39 miles of the Lower Fox River to address massive amounts of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminated sediment. The project removed 6.5 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment through hydraulic dredging, installing engineered caps spanning over 275 acres of riverbed to contain PCBs. Sand was also installed to cover 780 acres. Approximately 10 billion gallons of river water was restored in what is one of the largest sediment cleanups worldwide.

“We commend our partners at the WIDNR and EPA for completing the Fox River PCB cleanup project,” said Charlie Wooley, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Midwest Regional Director. “This is a major milestone towards restoring this important landscape.”

PCBs are toxic chemicals that were produced during the production and recycling of carbonless copy paper in the 1950s through 1970s. Three companies, NCR, Georgia Pacific and PH Glatfelter, remain active on the river to cover all current and future costs and ensure success of the cleanup for years to come. 

“Completing the PCB clean-up moves us one step closer in fulfilling our given responsibility by the Creator, to care for our waters,” said Tehassi Hill, Oneida Nation of Wisconsin Chairman. “Soon, we will be able to catch and eat clean, safe fish from the Lower Fox River and the waters within the Oneida Reservation.”

During the initial stages of the project, the DNR stepped up to be the lead technical agency, and the EPA served as the lead enforcement agency. The collaborative effort between the two government agencies and the private sector is a hallmark of the project’s success. The DNR has a new webpage to provide updates on the project. The EPA issues a formal report to the public every five years, with the next one due in 2024.

“Today’s Fox River announcement has been decades in the making,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Kurt Thiede. “The progress that has been made is a perfect example of what can be accomplished when partners are committed to working together toward a common goal.”

The main goal of the cleanup is to reduce the risk to human health and the environment. Long-term testing is underway to check for PCBs in fish tissue, sediment and water. Current results are promising with PCB reductions of approximately 90% in river water and sediment compared to concentrations in 2006. PCBs in walleye are down by an average of 65% in upstream areas and are approaching the “unlimited consumption” advisory level. Testing will continue until cleanup goals are met.

The Natural Resource Damage Trustee Council is equally vital in the effort to restore this area. The Fox River Trustee Council includes the DNR, USFWS, the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin.

Trustees manage and allocate multi-million-dollar settlement funds to support natural resource restoration projects in the greater Green Bay area. Their work has led to strong partnerships and sweeping successes with everything from working to recover endangered species, to improving waterfowl habitat, restoring Great Lakes spotted musky, investing in fish and wildlife habitat throughout the watershed, to helping the iconic lake sturgeon in Green Bay waters.

“The Fox River Trustees will continue their important restoration work for fish and wildlife recovery to compliment this significant achievement and to uphold our promise to provide a healthier environment for all to interact with and appreciate,” said Gary Besaw, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin Legislator and Department of Agriculture and Food Systems Director.

Restoration projects create more opportunities for fishing, hunting, wildlife watching, recreation and enjoyment of natural resources in Wisconsin. To learn more about Wisconsin’s great natural resources visit dnr.wi.gov.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Supplementary images and topical information found here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 2, 2020
Contact: DNRPress@wisconsin.gov

Life Jackets Save Lives:

Labor Day Boating Safety Reminders

Nineteen people have died in boating accidents in Wisconsin in 2020. Fourteen of the those were not wearing life jackets, and one person’s life jacket was incorrectly secured. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, Wis. – Life jackets save lives! The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wants to remind the public to wear life jackets as they get out and enjoy Wisconsin's waterways over the Labor Day holiday.

As summer draws to a close, 19 people have died in boating accidents in Wisconsin in 2020. Sixteen of those were drownings. Fourteen of the those people were not wearing life jackets, and one person’s life jacket was incorrectly secured.

“Our hearts break for the families and friends of those who don't make it home,” said DNR Chief Conservation Warden Casey Krueger. “These are painful reminders to remember your safety when you plan an outing that involves any Wisconsin waterbody.”

The DNR does not track all drownings – only those fatalities linked to the use of a recreational activity item, such as a boat, kayak or canoe. Boating incident reports to date for 2020 and previous years, as well as the annual overall recreational incidents, can be found here.

“The notion that you can put a life jacket on as an emergency is happening is unrealistic. Things can go wrong in an instant,” said DNR Recreation Warden Jason Roberts. “Wardens have responded to numerous drowning deaths only to find a life jacket stuffed inside a kayak or floating near the capsized canoe. Or in some cases, the person voluntarily leaves the vessel without a jacket and fails to make it back.”

LABOR DAY WATER SAFETY TIPS

• Always wear a life jacket when you’re on or near the water. Life jackets will keep you on top of the water if you walk off an unexpected drop-off, or a wave or current overpowers you or you fall out of a boat.
• Enjoy the waters sober and know your limits. Alcohol blurs a person’s judgment, reaction time and abilities.
• River shorelines and sandbars pose unseen dangers. Higher, fast-moving water can tax an individual’s boating, paddling and swimming skills.
• Keep an eye on the weather and let someone know where you are going.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 2, 2020
Contact: Mike Donofrio, DNR Peshtigo fisheries supervisor, Michael.Donofrio@wisconsin.gov or 715-582-5050
Joe Gerbyshak, DNR Eau Claire County fisheries biologist, Joseph.Gerbyshak@wisconsin.gov or 715-839-2877
Nate Nye, DNR Poynette fisheries biologist,
Nathan.Nye@wisconsin.gov or 608-635-8122
Brad Ray, DNR Bayfield fisheries supervisor,
Bradley.Ray@wisconsin.gov or 715-779-4036
Craig Roberts, Burnett County fisheries biologist,
Craig.Roberts@wisconsin.gov or 715-416-0351 

Hook and Line Lake Sturgeon Season Opens Sept. 5

DNR fisheries technician, Matt Simonson, displays a lake sturgeon captured during a hook and line survey on the lower Chippewa River. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, Wis. – The inland hook and line season for lake sturgeon is set to open on Sept. 5 through Sept. 30. Anglers will have the opportunity to catch these prehistoric fish while on waterways throughout Wisconsin.

To harvest lake sturgeon, anglers must have a valid hook and line lake sturgeon tag. Licenses and tags may be purchased online through the GoWild system, or at one of our licensed sales agents. Please visit the Fishing License Webpage for more information on licenses and tags. Anglers should also consult 2020-2021 Hook and Line Fishing Regulations as all regulation requirements apply.

If an angler catches a lake sturgeon that they wish to harvest, they must immediately validate their tag. Any harvested sturgeon must be registered at a designated registration station before 6 p.m. on the day it was harvested.

Despite not being able to conduct fish surveys this year, fisheries biologists forecast a strong hook and line lake sturgeon season. Visit the DNR’s inland lake sturgeon page for forecasts and detailed harvesting information.

It’s important to note that when fishing on Yellow Lake, anglers should be on the lookout for dangler tags on the dorsal fin of lake sturgeon. These tags are yellow with a five-digit number. Anglers may need to scratch off the algae in order to see the tag number. Please leave the tag on the fish and report the tag number to Craig Roberts at 715-416-0351 or craig.roberts@wisconsin.gov.

DNR creel survey clerks will be stationed at various landings during the hook and line lake sturgeon season. Clerks will be gathering information on angler catch and the amount of time spent fishing. Anglers who encounter these clerks are encouraged to partake in the survey.

The DNR encourages anglers to continue to practice responsible catch and release when releasing any fish they do not wish to keep. Advice on responsible catch and release can be found on the DNR’s responsible release page.