SB 775

This bill creates a municipal grant program for testing for perfluoroalkyl and

polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and authorizes and funds several positions and

activities relating to PFAS.

Under the bill, the Department of Natural Resources must award grants to

municipalities that are located in PFAS management zones established under the

procedure outlined in 2019 Senate Bill .... (LRB -5179), for the purpose of complying

with any PFAS testing requirements or conducting any voluntary PFAS testing of

drinking water, surface water, wastewater, groundwater, biosolids, soil, and

sediment, including lake and river bed sediment. The bill provides a $200,000 GPR

continuing appropriation in fiscal year 2019-20 to fund this grant program,

$100,000 of which is reallocated under the bill from the existing agricultural

chemical cleanup fund.

The bill also provides $150,000 in a continuing GPR appropriation in fiscal year

2019-20 for sampling and testing for PFAS when establishing PFAS management

zones under the procedure outlined in 2019 Senate Bill .... (LRB -5179), and for

sampling and testing within established zones. The bill also creates a $50,000

continuing GPR appropriation in fiscal year 2019-20 for studying containment,

treatment, remediation, and disposal techniques for PFAS in watersheds that

contain PFAS management zones.

In addition, the bill authorizes DNR to create 1.0 GPR project position for a

PFAS management zone coordinator, and creates a sum sufficient GPR

appropriation to fund this position. Under the bill, the position terminates, and no

money may be expended for the position, after four and a half years.

The bill also authorizes DNR to create 1.0 GPR position for activities related

to PFAS management zones under the provisions of 2019 Senate Bill .... (LRB -5179).

Funding for this position may be authorized by a supplemental appropriation

authorized by the joint committee on finance.

Finally, the bill increases funding for the existing well compensation program,

administered by DNR, by $100,000 in fiscal year 2020-21, for certain claims based

on PFAS contamination.