No one in Wisconsin should have to be concerned about the safety of their drinking water. But due to water contamination, that unfortunately is not the reality in many communities.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice works to protect clean water by holding polluters accountable. Wisconsin DOJ regularly obtains resolutions in environmental matters that secure the payment of monetary penalties and/or require that steps be taken to prevent or remediate environmental harm. Report potential violations of Wisconsin's environmental laws to the DNR Hotline.
Wisconsinites in a number of communities face serious potential health risks, and those communities face substantial potential cleanup costs, due to PFAS contamination. In March 2022, Wisconsin DOJ filed a civil environmental enforcement lawsuit relating to PFAS contamination in the Marinette area. In July of that year, Wisconsin DOJ filed a lawsuit against 18 defendants alleging that certain conduct led to PFAS contamination of Wisconsin's water, property, and natural resources and that the defendants knew or should have known that their products would lead to dangerous impacts on public health and the environment. Both of those cases are ongoing.
Attorney General Kaul has also joined with other attorneys general to support a strong response to PFAS contamination.
- Attorney General Kaul Joins Amicus Brief Defending Nationwide PFAS Forever Chemical Drinking Water Standards, January 23, 2025
- Attorney General Kaul Supports the EPA's Listing of Nine PFAS Compounds as Hazardous Constituents, April 10, 2024
- Attorney General Kaul Leads 17 States in Urging EPA to Finalize Proposed PFAS Drinking Water Standards, May 31, 2023
- Attorney General Kaul Joins Coalition in Calling for 3M to Pay More and Sooner for Contaminating Americans' Drinking Water Supply with Toxic PFAS, August 29, 2023
- Attorney General Kaul Joins Coalition Calling for DuPont to Pay More for Contaminating Americans' Drinking Water Supply with Toxic PFAS, August 8, 2023
Wisconsin DOJ is committed to enforcing the laws that protect our environment even-handedly, which both protects the health of Wisconsinite's and Wisconsin's natural resources and ensures that businesses that follow the law are not put at an unfair disadvantage.
- AG Kaul Announces Settlement Requiring $70,000 Payment to Resolve Violations Related to a Fish Kill near Merrill in 2021, October 1, 2024
- AG Kaul Announces Settlement with Wisconsin Whey Protein Inc. Requiring $350,000 Payment and Installation of Chiller to Resolve Violations of Wisconsin's Wastewater and Stormwater Laws, July 19, 2024
- Phil Mlsna and Mlsna Dairy Supply, Inc. Assessed $209,641.47 for Violations of Wisconsin's Wastewater Laws at their CAFO located in Sparta, Wis., June 11, 2024