Clean Water Updates
Short posts on current issues, updated as necessary to keep our Clean Water supporters informed.
Posted December 30, 2025- Episode 4 of Field to Fenceline covers major Wisconsin conservation and outdoor news.
For those who may not know, OCCWA friend and part-time contributor Beckie Gaskill has launched a new endeavor on the Marshfield Now! Channel. Outdoor news is the emphasis of the programs, and we can't think of anyone more capable to host such a show.
The latest 30-minute episode #4 Field to Fenceline - S01E04 covers:
This week’s show covers major conservation and outdoor news impacting Wisconsin — and what it could mean heading into 2026.
In this episode:
• A tribute to longtime conservation leader George Meyer and his legacy in Wisconsin’s conservation movement
• Ice safety reminders as conditions vary across the state
• Snowmobile trail openings and early-season riding cautions
• A congressional push to delist the gray wolf and what’s expected next
• A deep dive on the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program — and why advocates say it’s facing an uncertain future after receiving zero funding in the latest state budget
You can view the programs on Facebook by simply searching Field to Fenceline or visit Marshfield Now! Channel
We at OCCWA wish Beckie the best of luck in her latest endeavor!
Posted December 18, 2025- Oneida County Lakes and Rivers Association shares latest eNews update and sad news on passing of conservationist George Meyer.
Subjects in OCLRA's latest eNews OCLRA eNews from November ~ OCLRA
- Wisconsin Lakes Annual Meeting set for December 9
- Fred Clark steps back from work with Wisconsin’s Green Fire
- Winter Water Talk: Fishing On Frozen Habitats
December 18, 12:00-1:00 PM - North American Lake Management Society offers new edition of Your Lake and You! publication
Conservation community mourns the loss of George Meyer
It is hard to overstate the contributions of to Wisconsin conservation
and natural resources. Meyer died on December 10 at age 78. His
contributions go back more than 50 years, to when he joined the DNR as a
staff attorney in 1972, around the time when the Clean Water Act, the
Clean Air Act and other significant legislation took effect.
He went on to lead the DNR’s enforcement division in 1980 and served as
DNR secretary from 1993 to 2001. While at the DNR he confronted
difficult issues, including the court decisions affirming the right of
the state’s Ojibwe tribes to fish, hunt and gather on off-reservation
lands. After leaving the agency he became the first executive director
of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.
He was inducted into the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame in 2018 and
last June received a lifetime achievement award from the National
Wildlife Federation. Cody Kamrowski, executive director of the Wisconsin
Wildlife Federation, called Meyer one of the state’s most influential
conservation leaders: “His courage, integrity, and deep commitment to
science-driven policy shaped generations of conservationists.”
Read George's full obituary here: GEORGE E MEYER 1947-2025
Posted December 16, 2025- Wisconsin continues a disturbing trend of cutting environmental funding.
A recent WPR article Wisconsin's cuts to environmental funding were among nation's highest, report says - WPR highlights a disturbing trend in Wisconsin when it comes to environmental funding. A recent report stated that since 2010 Wisconsin had cut environmental funding by 29%. A quote from the article states:
"The report released Wednesday by the nonprofit Environmental Integrity Project found nearly two-thirds of states have cut staffing and more than half have reduced funding for environmental agencies since 2010. Wisconsin was among the top 10 states in the nation for these cuts.
The environmental watchdog group argued states were already struggling to protect against pollution before Trump proposed a nearly 55 percent cut to the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2026 budget, which would reduce federal funding for states.
Jen Duggan, executive director of the Environmental Integrity Project, said Wisconsin experienced a 29 percent cut to state funding over the period. Funding for pollution control programs at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources dropped from $121 million in 2010 to $85 million last year when adjusted for inflation, according to the report."
Couple that with the fact that the State of Wisconsin has cut 500 DNR positions since 2003 and one can clearly see that a state once known for its environmental stance has done a 180. DNR position cuts documented in an August WPR article Wisconsin DNR has lost 500 positions since 2003, causing permitting delays - WPR support the disturbing trend. A quote from the article states the cuts have been non-partisan.
"Since 2003, the agency has seen large cuts under Democratic former Gov. Jim Doyle and Republican former Gov. Scott Walker. The DNR lost 256 positions under budgets approved by Doyle and around 230 positions under budgets during Walker’s tenure."
What would Aldo Leopold and John Muir think?
Posted December 12, 2025- With millions of dollars becoming available to municipalities for water infrastructure in the recent state budget, the City of Rhinelander looks to take advantage of the opportunity.
As you are probably aware, the City of Rhinelander has two water wells shut down due to PFAS contamination. With the city unable to find suitable sites to drill for replacement wells, Nicolet College declines Rhinelander city well proposal | WXPR they now have turned their attention to filtering the PFAS from the two shut down wells rather than drill replacement wells.
The decision to move forward with filtering is reported by WXPR, Rhinelander moves forward with plans for PFAS treatment of two off-line wells | WXPR . A quote from the article shares some of the city's thought processes.
"Common Council approved spending up to $460,000 for the design of a PFAS water treatment facility for the wells.
“This includes the design of the treatment facility at seven and eight. It also includes SCADA upgrades throughout the city, as well as backup generator at well five,” Mark Barden with Town and Country told common council Monday.
Pilot testing needs to be done first to determine what kind of treatment is needed for these wells.
The money will come from the City’s water funding but is reimbursable through the state’s safe drinking water program.
“Pretty much, once this is done, it should be at the point of applying for grants and then letting out for bid once we have a funding source,” said Rhinelander Mayor Kris Hanus."
With the decision to approve the pilot testing mentioned, concerns were raised about the environmental impacts of the pilot testing. Those concerns were covered in a Northwoods Star Journal article Council passes resolution in support of county shop redevelopment, approves water treatment study - Northwoods Star Journal . A quote from the article talks about pumping and disposing of PFAS tainted water during the testing process.
"Alderman Gerald Anderson raised concerns about pumping and disposing of water during the testing process. Dressler assured the council the wells would need to be flushed for several days initially, but during the actual pilot test, only about 3,000 gallons per day would be used—well below the DNR’s 70-gallon-per-minute threshold that requires permitting.
Mayor Hanus noted the similarity to the recent Messer Street project and sought assurance about environmental safety.
“As far as pumping groundwater to the surface, testing it and then letting it go back to groundwater, it sounds very familiar to what we did on Messer,” Hanus said. “I’m assuming it’s all approved by the DNR and recommended actually, like on Messer Street?”
“What we’re actually doing here is we’re actually treating it as we input,” Droessler responded. “What we’re running through the pilot test, we’re actually treating that water before it infiltrates back into the soil.”
OCCWA will look to cover the Rhinelander well project going forward. Clearly, it will be no small endeavor for the Mayor and City Council.
Posted December 4, 2025- A Wisconsin DNR and UW- Madison partnership provides private well owners a tool to better understand their lab test results.
Anyone who has looked at test results from samples taken of their well water, knows they aren't prepared for Jon Q Public to easily understand. To that point, the WDNR's latest press release (below) offers on online tool to help well owners better understand their test results. Considering all the water testing in Oneida County in the past few years, it couldn't come at a better time.
WDNR Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 4, 2025
Contact: Marty Nessman, DNR Private Water Supply Section Manager
Martin.Nessman@wisconsin.gov or 608-574-2592
DNR Announces New Online Tool To Help Private Well Owners Interpret Water Lab Test Results
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced the launch of Be Well Informed, an online tool that can help private well owners interpret their drinking water lab test results.
The DNR partnered with the UW-Madison Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, Wisconsin Department of Health Services and UW-Madison Division of Extension to design the Wisconsin version of Be Well Informed. The tool is tailored to Wisconsin’s drinking water environment and includes current water guidelines and standards. Resources are also available to help private well owners make informed decisions about the results.
"I'm pleased that Wisconsin is able to provide this valuable tool to help private well owners make sense of their drinking water test results," said Marty Nessman, DNR Private Water Supply section manager. "Understanding the well water lab report is an important step toward correcting any water quality issues that may exist."
A well owner can simply enter the test results provided by a certified laboratory, and the tool generates a report that explains the results and provides educational resources for any recommended next steps.
Wisconsin has over 800,000 private wells that serve about one-quarter of the state’s population. While most private water wells in Wisconsin provide safe drinking water, some may become contaminated with bacteria and other contaminants that can affect health.
Testing your well is the best way to make sure your water is safe. The DNR recommends that private well owners test their water at least annually and whenever there is a change in the taste, odor or color of the water.
More information is available for well owners on the DNR’s Private Well Owners webpage.At Oneida County Clean Waters Action, we are committed to protecting the environment through various initiatives and programs. Our mission is to promote sustainability and environmental conservation through education, advocacy, and community engagement. We believe that by working together, we can make a positive impact on our planet and ensure a better future for generations to come.
Posted December 4, 2025- Latest newsletter from Knowles Nelson shares how some legislators want to start legislative gridlock at $250K as well as questionable votes by two Northwood State Representatives.
Knowles Nelson Newsletter:
On Wednesday, the Assembly Committee on Forestry, Parks and Outdoor Recreation met to amend Rep. Tony Kurtz’s Knowles-Nelson reauthorization bill (AB 315/AB 612) and decide whether to advance it to the full Assembly. Even after months of waiting, the hearing brought mixed results and no real progress.
The most significant change in the presented amendment was a proposal to lower the threshold for when DNR land acquisitions must receive full legislative approval. Instead of requiring approval only for projects over $1 million, the amendment would trigger the full legislative process for any purchase over $250,000. That means every project above that amount would have to move through the Legislature as its own bill, even after completing the DNR’s rigorous internal review and approval by the Natural Resources Board.
We have consistently expressed concerns about this approach. It is simply not realistic to expect the Legislature — which already struggles to advance routine legislation — to take up conservation projects at the speed and consistency required for real estate transactions. And even if a bill were introduced, there is no guarantee it would ever receive a hearing or a vote.
By contrast, the Democratic proposal would create an independent, bipartisan Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Council with clear deadlines to review and vote on larger projects. It offers a predictable, workable process that doesn’t depend on the full Legislature’s pace.
Although the committee adopted the amendment, the bill itself deadlocked 6–6. Democratic members voted no because none of their concerns were addressed, and two northern Wisconsin Republicans—Rep. Rob Swearingen and Rep. Calvin Callahan—also voted no, citing an overabundance of land conserved by Knowles-Nelson in their districts.
So we looked into the math. Using DNR data through fiscal year 2024, we found that Knowles-Nelson has protected about 4.7% of the land in Rep. Swearingen’s district, which covers Rhinelander, Eagle River, and the surrounding Northwoods up to the Michigan border.
In Rep. Callahan’s district, which includes the communities of Antigo, Tomahawk, and Merrill, the share is even smaller - under 4%.
Knowles-Nelson has conserved more land in these northern districts than in many others — working forests are central to the Northwoods economy — but these are still modest amounts. They show why continuing this work matters, not why we should walk away from it. You can explore the data yourself on our interactive map at map.knowlesnelson.org.
In conversations with legislators across the political spectrum, one message continues to ring true: any successful reauthorization of Knowles-Nelson will require bipartisan support. Republicans hold the majority, but the Governor must sign any final bill, and it’s difficult to imagine that happening without meaningful Democratic input.
Rather than trying to appeal to the most skeptical members of either party, a more realistic path is to bring conservation supporters from both parties to the table and work toward a modest, practical compromise.
But hearings are not the end of the process, and a tied committee vote does not prevent a bill from advancing. Chairman Mursau has already sent the bill to the full Assembly “without recommendation.” The Assembly meets next week, though the bill is not yet on the agenda. If it does not move then, the next opportunity will come in January.
In the meantime, your voice matters. Here’s how you can help:
- Contact your legislators and tell them you’re paying close attention to the debate over Knowles-Nelson. Ask them to work across the aisle and find a compromise that keeps the program strong.
Posted November 27, 2025- Mixed message from Feds on PFAS standards creating quagmire for affected communities.
In a recent WXPR article with video clip Challenges regulating PFAS due to mixed federal messages | WXPR shares the convoluted process going on at the federal level in dealing with PFAS. A quote from the article states concerns.
"There are mixed messages about PFAS coming from the Trump Administration. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spoken about tackling them as part of the "Make America Healthy Again" plan.
But the EPA has been quick to amend or remove regulations concerning these chemicals. Donley said establishing a standard definition of PFAS would improve how these chemicals are regulated.
"We’re seeing vastly different definitions being used," said Donley, "and, unfortunately, in the regulatory context in the U.S. we’re using a definition of PFAS that was outdated 15 years ago."
In a related article Trump aims to ease EPA reporting rules on 'forever chemicals' the current administration looks to loosen industry reporting requirements. A quote from the article:
"The Trump administration is proposing to loosen requirements for companies to report on their uses of “forever chemicals.”
These chemicals, many of which are toxic, have been used in a wide array of consumer and other applications, including to make items that are nonstick, waterproof and stain resistant."
Another related article shares information on the Feds allowing PFAS in pesticides used by the agricultural industry. A quote from the article laments the reversal of promises to rein in PFAS.
"The Trump administration is poised to again approve a new Pfas “forever chemical” pesticide ingredient, a move that is drawing criticism from public health advocates who say the nation’s food and water supply is being put at more risk from the dangerous compounds.
The substance would be sprayed on corn, soybeans and wheat, and it marks the fifth Pfas pesticide ingredient the US Environmental Protection Agency has proposed for approval under Donald Trump’s second term as US president.
During his 2024 campaign, Trump and his ally and now health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, promised to rein in the use of dangerous pesticides, but the EPA has loosened oversight and is accelerating pesticide approvals, which is causing friction between Maga and Maha (the make America great again and make America healthy again movements)."
These two developments in concert with the EPA requesting to reverse their own previously established PFAS drinking water standards EPA asks court to reverse its own PFAS drinking water standards is quite concerning. A Quote from the article states:
"After years of work to remove chemicals known as PFAS from our drinking water, the EPA is now asking a federal court to reverse its own rules regulating them. Local environmental groups are concerned after what their years of testing our region's water has shown.
The new filing from the Environmental Protection Agency comes in a case where organizations representing water utilities and chemical companies are seeking to reverse the agency's PFAS limits in drinking water. The agency just implemented those limits last spring in response to nationwide testing and growing evidence showing the widely used chemicals increase the risk of cancer."
Considering that the State of Wisconsin has yet to set PFAS drinking water standards and currently uses EPA recommended standards, one can see how impactful these decisions can be.