EM Insight 2022 Quarter 4: October - December
Quarterly news and highlights from the Environmental Management (EM) Division
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The EM Insight is a quarterly report from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Environmental Management (EM) Division that profiles some of the great results that our staff, teams and partnerships have achieved. The division is pleased to present the following highlights of our work from October - December 2022.
In this edition
- PFAS Updates
- Headline News
- Focus on Science
- Annual Awards and Awareness Campaigns
- Social Media Spotlights
PFAS Updates
Collection of PFAS-Containing Firefighting Foam Waste Begins
The 2021-23 biennium budget provided $1 million to the DNR and Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) for a fluorinated firefighting foam waste collection and disposal program. The DNR and DATCP worked with professional firefighting associations and local fire departments to identify the quantity and distribution of unwanted foam throughout Wisconsin. North Shore Environmental Construction, Inc., a Wisconsin-based company selected through the competitive state procurement process, began collection at fire departments in October 2022. The response to this collection and disposal program by the firefighting community has been strong, and North Shore has already collected over 21,000 gallons of unwanted foam waste.
New Interactive PFAS Data Tool Available
In October, the Office of Emerging Contaminants launched the PFAS Interactive Data Viewer. This interactive map combines publicly available information from multiple sources across the DNR's website into one tool to allow users to explore more easily what is known about PFAS in Wisconsin. Available information in the PFAS Interactive Data Viewer includes locations with known contamination, PFAS-related fish and game consumption advisories and waterbodies throughout Wisconsin sampled during targeted or routine monitoring. With easier access to information about the presence of PFAS, communities, policymakers and other stakeholders can make informed decisions to minimize exposure, develop plans for mitigation and access necessary resources.
Headline News
Air Management to Receive American Rescue Plan Act Funding for Monitoring Projects
The Air Management program was selected to receive $500,000 in funding over three years through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) competitive grant awards process, part of 132 projects in 37 states that EPA is funding. With this funding, Air Management intends to focus on learning more about air quality and emissions in the Milwaukee area. The DNR will use its air monitoring stations at the Milwaukee Sixteenth Street Health Center, UW School of Freshwater Sciences and the Milwaukee DNR Southeast Region office as baseline monitors for this community-based project. Over the course of three years, new air quality sensors and mobile monitoring will be deployed in and around those locations with a goal of engaging the communities and identifying and mitigating hotspot areas. The Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and the city of Madison were also awarded funding for similar but separate air quality projects in Wisconsin.
DNR Now Accepting Applications for ARPA Well Compensation and Well Abandonment Grant Programs
In October, the Drinking Water and Groundwater program announced the start of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Well Compensation and Well Abandonment Grant Programs. The new programs will provide $10 million in financial assistance to the owners of private wells and non-community water systems to address contamination by awarding grants for the replacement, reconstruction, treatment or abandonment of their well or water system. The eligibility criteria for both programs were expanded beyond the previous Well Compensation Grant Program, and many previously ineligible individuals are now eligible to apply. Expanded criteria include raising the income limit to $100,000 and changing the contamination requirements to better reflect updated safe drinking water standards.
Officials Celebrate Collaborative Effort to Help Clean Up the Portage Canal, Portage Daily Register
In November, a ribbon cutting celebrated the final phase of the revitalization of Segment 2 of the Portage Canal. The Portage Canal was built in the 1800s, and centuries of industrial use resulted in heavy metal contamination. The cleanup of the Portage Canal started almost two decades ago.
The Segment 2 revitalization project was a collaborative effort with state, local and federal officials. The DNR managed a large portion of the project last year during the dredging and decontamination of the canal. The DNR cleanup activities consisted of the removal of approximately 47,200 tons of contaminated sediment, treatment of 1.3 million gallons of contaminated water, the extension of seven storm sewers to maintain the city's stormwater management system and placement of 40,000 tons of material to construct the base for the foundation of an addition to the Ice Age Trail.
Cleanup and revitalization of the Portage Canal has a substantial environmental impact but also adds to the recreational opportunities and future redevelopment potential along the canal.
Holiday Waste Media Briefing
The Office of Communications hosted a media briefing featuring Bureau of Waste and Materials Management's Jennifer Semrau, Casey Lamensky and Sarah Murray. They shared tips for reducing waste and recycling during the holiday season. The media briefing was accompanied by a press release with media kits as well as a recording of the briefing. The response was immediate and generated ~12-15 news stories that used audio, video and/or quotes from the briefing.
Focus on Science
DNR Releases 2022 Air Quality Trends Report
The DNR's Air Management program released the 2022 Air Quality Trends report in October. The annual report includes state monitoring data through 2021 for air pollutants regulated under the federal Clean Air Act, including ground-level ozone, particle pollution, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. Although concentrations of these pollutants have generally decreased in all regions of the state since monitoring began, in recent years, the trends report shows that some pollutants, like ozone, have recorded slight increases in concentrations or plateaued reductions. To better illustrate these trends, the DNR has debuted an interactive StoryMap, which illustrates Wisconsin's air quality trends for each pollutant over the last 20 years.
Pollution Cleanup Projects Underway in the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern
The Waterway Restoration Partnership hosted a series of community updates about projects underway to clean up pollution in the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern. These projects are part of a larger effort to restore the health of Milwaukee's waterways through improved water quality, wildlife habitat and fisheries.
Basin H Sewers PCB Cleanup Update
The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is partnering with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to remove and safely dispose of PCB contamination in sewers located west of the Milwaukee River along North Humboldt Boulevard between East Capitol Drive and East Locust Street known as Basin H. Watch the Basin H PCB Remediation video update to learn more about this project and the associated cleanup of contaminated material in the Milwaukee River Greenway. This project is anticipated to be completed in May 2023.
Third Ward Milwaukee River Cleanup Update
We Energies, with their contractors GEI and J.F. Brennan, began sediment remediation work along a 0.6-mile stretch of the Milwaukee River in the Third Ward. The site is adjacent to the former Third Ward Manufactured Gas Plant and upstream near the confluence of the Menomonee and Milwaukee rivers. Learn more about the project by watching the Third Ward Milwaukee River Cleanup video update. This project is anticipated to be completed by December 2023.
Dredged Material Management Facility Update
The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District is partnering with the city of Milwaukee, Port Milwaukee, We Energies and Wisconsin DNR to build a new Dredged Material Management Facility in the Milwaukee harbor. When it's completed, this facility will provide safe, secure containment for approximately 1.9 million cubic yards of polluted sediment that will be removed from the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic rivers. The facility is specially designed to contain dredged material and control potential releases of contaminants to the environment. Learn more about the status of the Dredged Material Management Facility, including new information about the design, by watching the video series on the Waterway Restoration Partnership website. Design and permitting will be completed by the end of 2023, and construction is anticipated to occur in 2024 to 2026.
New Report Provides Recommendations for Slow the Flow Practices in Wisconsin's Lake Superior Basin
A new report, Review and Recommendations for Slow the Flow Practices in Wisconsin's Lake Superior Basin, provides a strategic watershed approach to reduce excessive water runoff that causes tons of sediment to erode into Lake Superior. Excess sediment is one of the largest pollution concerns in the Lake Superior basin of Wisconsin. Too much sediment harms aquatic habitats and degrades water quality. The term “slow the flow” refers to reducing the amount of water that runs quickly off the land before it erodes soil and carries it into streams and ultimately into Lake Superior.
The report identifies conservation priorities in Wisconsin's portion of the Lake Superior basin. Slow the flow practices are recommended to guide restoration and resilience work aimed at reducing excess sedimentation, such as:
- Increasing snowmelt and rainfall storage by restoring wetlands in upper watersheds.
- Reconnecting rivers and streams to historical floodplains to allow water to spread out and slow down during storms.
- Improving stream functions by properly sizing culverts under roads.
- Increase stormwater infiltration with better land management practices.
Remediation and Redevelopment program 128(a) Year-End Report Available
The Remediation and Redevelopment Program's year-end report, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 128(a) Grant Final Report (RR-0142), is available on the About the RR Program webpage. The RR Program utilizes its CERCLA Sec. 128(a) grant to enhance the state response program and fulfill public record requirements. In addition, the grant is used to support state programs and designated federal programs under the jurisdiction of the RR Program by supporting outreach, site discovery and redevelopment tools. Reporting period highlights included activities related to the Vapor Intrusion Prevention & Partnership (VIPPI) Toolkit, local government outreach with the Brownfields Fundamentals series and ensuring public health protection through continuing obligations audits at closed sites.
E-Cycling and Household Recycling Updates
The Waste and Materials Management Program published two major reports in the last quarter: the E-Cycle Wisconsin annual report and the 2021 Wisconsin household recycling survey. The E-Cycle Wisconsin annual report for the legislature and governor summarizes program successes and provides recommendations for improving electronic recycling in Wisconsin. The report shared that in the last program year, registered collectors took in 23.1 million pounds of electronics, almost all of which was recycled in Wisconsin or other midwest states.
The Waste Program also produced a report and infographic on its 2021 Wisconsin Household Recycling Survey. The DNR conducts these surveys every few years to gain insight into how the public views recycling, electronics recycling and other waste topics. These surveys inform future recycling initiatives and outreach at the state and local levels. The 2021, survey found that Wisconsinites continue to have a high commitment to recycling, but there is more work we can do to raise awareness.
Annual Awards and Awareness Campaigns
"Imagine a Day Without Water" in the Outdoor Report
The DNR joined communities and leaders from across the country and state on Oct. 20, 2022 to recognize and take part in Imagine a Day Without Water, an annual day of education and action to highlight how water is essential, invaluable and in need of investment.
Every day, Wisconsinites use 7 billion gallons of water, averaging 56 gallons per resident. While most Wisconsin residents don't have to worry about water resources, many people lack reliable access to safe water – including some individuals with access to a private well that has poor water quality. That's why the DNR works diligently to ensure access to safe, clean water for everyone in Wisconsin.
50 Years of the Clean Water Act
Late 2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act in the United States. This foundational environmental legislation set a minimum level of national regulation that required permits with limits on how much pollution could be discharged into rivers and lakes. Most importantly, the Clean Water Act provided municipalities and states with federal funding to upgrade wastewater treatment plants. Over the years, the law has been improved to address additional issues of concern, such as industrial pretreatment, nonpoint pollution, toxics and biosolids.
Wisconsin has been a leader since the start. In the year that followed the passage of the Clean Water Act, Wisconsin created the Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) program that enabled the state to implement the Clean Water Act on behalf of the EPA. Wisconsin was the first state in the nation to require secondary treatment at wastewater treatment plants and among the first to develop statewide phosphorus criteria and thermal standards. Most recently, Wisconsin has set statewide PFAS surface water criteria for PFOS and PFOA. Wisconsin has also developed innovative strategies such as water quality trading and adaptive management to effectively address nutrient pollution from both point and nonpoint sources.
Social Media Spotlight
- Oct. 14: Today is International E-Waste Day - 15,862 impressions
- Nov 15: Today is America Recycles Day - 8,045 impressions
- Dec. 20: Holiday Waste Disposal Tips - 30,764 impressions