Clean Water Updates

Posted October 1, 2025- DNR identifies responsible parties for town of Stella PFAS contamination.

To no one's surprise, the WDNR has identified current and past owners of the Rhinelander paper mill as responsible parties to the PFAS contamination in the town of Stella. Letters released from the WDNR to Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) shared a wealth of information on this long-awaited designation.

Stated in the WPR article, DNR names paper companies responsible for PFAS contamination in a Wisconsin county - WPR the WDNR identified biosolids from the Rhinelander paper mill spread on agricultural fields in the town of Stella is the source of the PFAS contamination. This would be a good time to mention that WPR and local WXPR both valuable sources of local information such as this, have had all their federal funding cancelled several months back.

There is much information for the public to garner from WPR's article, but we at OCCWA would like to call your attention to excerpted language from the DNR in the article.

"The DNR has previously found contaminated wells in Stella have some of the highest PFAS levels in the country. More than one third of 241 private wells tested have PFAS levels greater than the state’s recommended health guidelines. Mimi Johnson, director of the DNR’s Office of Emerging Contaminants, said the agency has redirected its limited resources to provide temporary safe water to residents.

“With additional dedicated resources we could continue to provide residents the opportunity to disrupt their exposure through that temporary water, through technical support and funding of new well construction or existing well repairs, (and) installation of treatment systems,” Johnson said."

Gov. Tony Evers and the Republican-controlled Legislature set aside $125 million under the last two-year budget to address PFAS. However, the funds have yet to be released despite repeated requests from Evers. GOP lawmakers have voiced concerned that the money would be used as a “DNR slush fund.” 

Please note WDNR Mimi Johnson's quotes of "limited resources" and "With additional dedicated resources we could continue". We at OCCWA have for the past year and a half, expressed frustration with the Governor and the Legislature failing to release the $125 million for private well owners PFAS relief. This battle continues today with no movement on Senate Bill 128 which would designate and provide a method to release the desperately needed funding. The main sticking point between the Governor and Legislature being the definition of a responsible party.

With the upcoming meeting in the town of Stella and questions we at OCCWA have submitted to the WDNR on the expanded testing in Oneida County we hope to have an article up on this website addressing PFAS contamination shortly. Until then we recommend reviewing the WPR article provided. 

You might also consider visiting the EPA/Stella webpage  Stella Township PFAS Contamination | US EPA 

There you can find the complete site inspection link: https://semspub.epa.gov/work/05/2008130.pdf

Posted September 24, 2025- Oneida County Lakes and Rivers Association September Newsletter highlights.

Meeting notice: Please share this information and the OCLRA website (www.oclra.org) with the members of your lake association, district and/or friends group and with your personal networks.  
The next OCLRA Board meeting is Monday, October 13, at 9 a.m., at the ADRC building in Rhinelander, across the parking lot from Trig’s grocery. All are welcome.

 OCLRA welcomes three new board members

At its September 8 meeting, the OCLRA board added three members: Gary Mastalish of the Three Lakes Waterfront Association, Mary Jung of Two Sisters Lake, and Cheryl Schultz of Great Bass Lake. The board also reappointed Ted Rulseh as president, Tom LaDue as vice president and treasurer, and Beckie Gaskill as secretary. 

 Wisconsin’s Green Fire sets Oneida County Lake Toolbox Workshop

Imagine that you could assess conditions that affect your lake, identify threats to water quality and habitat, and customize a “take action” plan—without a consultant and lake management plan. Wisconsin’s Green Fire is offering a free Northern Lakes Toolbox Workshops in Oneida County October 1 and 3, at Kemp Station north of Lake Tomahawk. Topics include basic lake ecology and management, where to find data on your lake, and how to identify action strategies that make a difference. For more information, contact Mike Meyer, MMeyer@WIgreenfire.org.
 

 Minnesota Public Radio reports on issues with rock riprap

Lake property owners often place rock riprap as a way to prevent shorelines erosion. Research reported by Minnesota Public Radio shows that riprap has downsides for lakes that include warming the water, increasing nutrient runoff that feeds algae blooms, and sometimes altering wildlife habitat.

 Follow OCLRA on Facebook

OCLRA invites lake association leaders to follow our Facebook page, which includes news of OCLRA activities and other items of interest to the lake community. It’s a good way for associations to connect with our education, collaboration and advocacy on behalf of the county’s waters. Visit https://www.facebook.com/people/OCLRA/100089436967560/. 

Posted September 15, 2025- Town of Stella to hold informational public meeting on PFAS Contamination specific to town of Stella. 

The meeting is expected to have representatives in attendance from the United States EPA, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and Oneida County Health Department to answer Stella residents' questions on PFAS contamination specific to Stella. The meeting has been organized and is presented by the town of Stella. The meeting will be held at the Stella Town Hall, 2496 County Hwy C, Rhinelander, WI 54501. We ask that all attendees respect the towns wishes as stated in the Town of Stella's informational release below.

Town of Stella PFAS meeting Informational release

 A PFAS informational meeting will be held on October 1, 2025, at 5:30pm at the Stella Town Hall. This meeting will be to discuss drinking water and soil issues related to PFAS contamination.  All Town of Stella residents with questions or concerns are encouraged to attend.  If others from outside the Stella Community are interested in attending, they are welcome, but the focus will be on the community of Stella and the issues we face with PFAS in our drinking water and soils.  Attendance will include the USEPA, WDNR, WDHS, and the Oneida County Health Dept.  These agencies will be available to provide updates on PFAS issues related to drinking water, contaminated wells, health issues, soil contamination and cleanup, and various other PFAS related issues.

This meeting will focus on drinking water and soil. If you have question about the health advisories issued on September 4, 2025, there may be time at the end of the meeting, if the DHS and DNR staff are available to stay, for questions about this subject.  There are no guarantees this will be possible and questions regarding these issues asked during the water and soil discussions will be deferred to the end of the Stella Community meeting.    

If there are questions about the meeting and subjects to be discussed send emails to  chair@townofstella.com. 

Posted September 2, 2025- In a promising development Wisconsin legislators look for compromise on funding for Knowles Nelson Program. This letter from Gathering Waters asks for public support through Take Action link.

 Dear Friend of Conservation,

Yesterday, Sen. Jodi Habush Sinykin and Rep. Vinnie Miresse introduced a new proposal to reauthorize Knowles-Nelson for six years, funded at $72 million annually. This proposed legislation is co-sponsored by all 60 Democratic lawmakers and lays the groundwork for compromise negotiations as the two parties seek ways to work together to reauthorize the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

You may recall that last week we described our two main concerns with the proposal put forth by Rep. Tony Kurtz and Sen. Testin. That proposal could sharply curtail land acquisition by instructing DNR to always prioritize land management grant applications over those seeking funds to acquire conservation lands. It would also require all grants more than $1 million to move through the legislature as a separate piece of legislation, which could create a new “pocket veto,” allowing legislators to kill conservation projects without debate or vote.

The legislation introduced Tuesday by Sen. Habush Sinykin and Rep. Miresse addresses both of these concerns.

First, their proposal creates separate funding streams for land acquisition and land management grants. This ensures both priorities receive dedicated support and allows the DNR to administer them separately. Comparing the purchase of a critical wetland vs restoring a prairie would be like comparing apples and oranges. This structure allows each type of project to be judged on its own merits.

Second, the bill proposes a “Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Board” to  to provide oversight for the program. This 17-member body would bring together legislators from both parties, stakeholders, agency experts, and citizens to provide guidance and approve or deny grants exceeding $2.5 million.

For the details of their proposal, read the complete bill text and summary. And for a deeper dive into the politics of this process, see this Wisconsin Examiner article.

A Foundation for Compromise

We applaud the hard work of Senators Habush Sinykin and Testin and Representatives Kurtz and Miresse to lead their caucuses in the effort to craft a compromise that legislators and the Governor can all support. What now lies ahead is blending these proposals in a way that stays true to the soul of Knowles-Nelson while navigating the fraught terrain of split government.

Sen. Testin responded to the newly introduced legislation in a statement saying, “I am glad to see that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have an interest in reforming and reauthorizing the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. I look forward to reviewing the legislative proposal brought forward by my Democrat colleagues to see where we can work together and find common ground.”

The two proposals share a common commitment to furthering Wisconsin’s conservation legacy. Both recognize that Wisconsinites cherish our publicly accessible lands and want our state to be responsible stewards of our land and water for our kids and grandchildren.

Because the Senate is so closely divided – 18 Republican members and 15 Democratic members – bipartisanship will be essential. Should the Senate try to pass a partisan Knowles-Nelson reauthorization, the result could be a bill so weighed down with concessions to opponents of conservation that stakeholder groups would oppose it and the Governor would feel compelled to veto it. On the other hand, the proposal released this week by Sen. Habush Sinykin and Rep. Miresse clearly states what Democratic lawmakers are prioritizing when considering a Knowles-Nelson reauthorization.

We encourage legislators to use these two proposals as the foundation for good-faith, constructive conversations that ultimately fund Knowles-Nelson and make structural changes to the program that increase transparency and accountability, avoid partisan gridlock, and, most importantly, allow us to meet our most pressing conservation challenges.

What can you do?

It’s now time to get in touch with your legislators again and urge them to get to work crafting a Knowles-Nelson compromise that works for Wisconsin. Take action today and ask legislators to stay true to these priorities when negotiating a Stewardship reauthorization:

• Fund both land acquisition and land management.
  
• Create an oversight structure that: encourages constructive dialog; brings stakeholders, legislators, and agency professionals together; and that follows a clear, time-limited process for reviewing and voting on major grants.
  
• Supports our growing outdoor recreation economy by investing in the infrastructure we need to get out and enjoy all the places that make Wisconsin special.

 Take Action – Knowles Nelson Stewardship 

 TAKE ACTION NOW 

Charles Carlin
Director of Strategic Initiatives
Gathering Waters: Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts 

Posted July 30, 2025- Last Wilderness shares news on the latest Wave Boat study.

The highly anticipated study on the impact of wake surfing on lakebeds has been released! This groundbreaking research is a significant step forward in understanding how wake surfing affects the environmental health of our lakes.

Ten feet is not enough!

For too long, the wake surfing industry has claimed there's no lakebed impact if surfing occurs in depths of at least 10 feet. However, this new study definitively shows profound sediment disturbance even in much deeper water.

The study specifically recommends:

"It is recommended that wakeboats operate in 20 ft of water or greater when in surfing mode to minimize impacts on the lake bottom." 

You can find the study summary HERE.

FAQ's (four pages) about the study HERE.

This research provides crucial scientific backing for the growing movement to regulate wake surfing.

The number of Wisconsin towns with wake surfing ordinances has now reached 59, with 25 of those enacted just since January 1st of this year! The Last Wilderness Alliance is proud to have assisted in the majority of these successful efforts.

We remain committed to educating the public and supporting regulations that

protect Wisconsin's lakes for everyone, especially the 98% of lake users who

do not wake surf.

Your continued support is vital to our work, and we deeply appreciate your dedication to preserving our precious waterways. 

To read the Full Study, click HERE.

Here are Videos and the Data Set: DATA

Visit and support Last Wilderness Alliance at:  Last Wilderness Alliance