EM Insight 2024 Quarter 1: January - March
Quarterly News and Highlights From the Environmental Management (EM) Division
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 January - March 2024.
In This Edition
PFAS Updates
Updated Fish Consumption Advice
In February, the DNR’s Bureau of Fisheries Management released an updated version of Choose Wisely, which outlines guidelines for safe fish consumption. Included in this revision were new PFOS-based consumption advisories for the following locations:
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Hat Rapids Flowage on the Wisconsin River (Oneida County);
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Moen Chain of Lakes (Oneida County); and
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La Crosse River from Angelo Pond to the Neshonoc Dam, including Perch and Neshonoc lakes (Monroe and La Crosse counties).
PFOS-based guidance for Dane County’s Black Earth Creek was removed. The Fisheries Management program conducted additional sampling in this area, and results were consistently low enough to rescind the advisory that was issued in March 2022.
Fish are a great source of lean protein and nutrients like omega-3s. Following fish consumption advisories allows you the benefits of consuming fish while also limiting your risk from PFAS.
New Videos Available To Learn About PFAS
Three new videos provide a quick introduction to PFAS and their impacts. By watching these videos, viewers can learn what PFAS are, how they impact fish and wildlife and what Wisconsin is doing to address them.
The videos are available on the DNR’s YouTube channel or at the following links:
Headline News
DNR Surface Water Grant 2024 Awards Announced
The DNR Surface Water Grant Program recently announced approximately $6 million in grant funding to lake organizations, nonprofit organizations and municipal and county governments throughout Wisconsin. Funding will be used to promote and implement watershed and shoreline management practices to improve or preserve the health of waterbodies in 2024 and beyond.
This year, the program received 428 applications from eligible applicants requesting over $9.1 million in funding. The selected projects are incredibly diverse, including education and outreach activities, management planning, habitat restoration, runoff management, water quality improvement projects and aquatic invasive species control.
For more information about the 2024 Surface Water Grant awards and to view the Priority Funding List, please visit the DNR’s Surface Water webpage.
New Report Evaluates Water Quality Trends In Upper Mississippi River System
The Upper Mississippi River Basin Association (UMRBA) recently released a new report, “How Clean Is The River?,” evaluating 30 years of water quality data on the Upper Mississippi River System. UMRBA is a forum for interstate water resource planning and management on the Upper Mississippi River, with representatives appointed by the Governors of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin.
The report found that although water quality has generally improved in the Upper Mississippi River in past decades, new threats like road salt are emerging. The results support UMRBA’s current interstate focus on nutrients, chloride and emerging contaminants and a unified approach to monitoring the river.
The report also reflects the interstate water quality management framework established by UMRBA through its five member states to improve water quality by identifying problem areas, targeting management actions and measuring progress in protecting the river’s health. The DNR is part of this collaborative regional network.
Final Remedial Action Plan Update For St. Louis River Area of Concern Now Available
An update to the St. Louis River Area of Concern (AOC) Remedial Action Plan is now available, incorporating feedback received on the draft earlier this year. The updated plan is available on the Wisconsin DNR’s website.
Nine environmental problems, called beneficial use impairments, were identified for the St. Louis River AOC, along with management actions to address each problem. Removal targets set the specific goals and objectives for each impairment. Four impairments have been removed so far.
The Remedial Action Plan identifies the remaining management actions needed to address the five remaining impairments and the anticipated timeline to do so. Once all the impairments have been removed, the St. Louis River AOC can be proposed for removal from the list of most polluted sites on the Great Lakes.
The St. Louis River AOC was listed as one of 43 sites on the Great Lakes with significant environmental damage by the United States and Canada in 1987. Federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding, first launched in 2010, helps communities clean up pollution and restore waterways.
The four coordinating agencies that work together to publish the Remedial Action Plan updates include the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Wisconsin DNR.
U.S. EPA Revised Particulate Matter Ambient Air Quality Standards
On Feb. 7, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a revision to the particulate matter (PM) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS).
PM is classified into two different sizes: PM10 and PM2.5. PM10 includes particles 10 micrometers in diameter and smaller, while PM2.5 consists of particles 2.5 micrometers in diameter and smaller. PM2.5 poses a health risk because of its ability to penetrate deep into the respiratory tract and the bloodstream, especially for individuals with heart and lung ailments.
The revised rule makes the PM2.5 annual standard more stringent while leaving the 24-hour PM2.5 and PM10 standards unchanged:
| NAAQS | Most Recent Standard | New Standard |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 annual standard | 12 µg/m³ (set in 2012) | 9 µg/m³ |
| PM2.5 24-hour standard | 35 µg/m³ (set in 2006) | No change |
| PM10 24-hour standard | 150 µg/m³ (set in 1987) | No change |
For more information on the federal particle pollution standard, review the EPA’s Final Updates to the Air Quality Index for Particulate Matter Fact Sheet and Common Questions document.
Resources And Website Spotlight
New Webpage For Milwaukee Estuary Area Of Concern Projects
A new webpage on the Wisconsin DNR website was created for Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern Projects to share information on 41 current and upcoming projects in this Area of Concern (AOC) and associated Waterway Restoration Partnership efforts. Projects focus on cleaning up pollution, improving public health and safety, restoring fish and wildlife habitats and enhancing economic and recreational opportunities.
The Waterway Restoration Partnership (WRP) is a collaboration among multiple levels of government, including the DNR, local community organizations, agencies and citizens focused on improving water quality in the Milwaukee region. The WRP is committed to working together to advance the cleanup efforts in the Milwaukee Estuary AOC, while placing an emphasis on inclusive community engagement.
Annual Awards And Awareness Campaigns
Annual Air, Air Everywhere Poetry Contest Launches
Now in its 13th year, the annual DNR-sponsored contest is designed to raise awareness of the importance of good air quality in honor of Clean Air Month in May.
The DNR encouraged teachers and parents to submit original poems and riddles created by their 3rd-5th grade students. The three winning poets will have their work featured on the DNR website and social media channels in mid-May.
More information on the Air, Air, Everywhere contest is available on the DNR’s contest webpage.
The DNR Celebrates Drinking Water And Groundwater Awareness Weeks In March
The DNR’s Drinking Water and Groundwater Program had a busy March with the celebration of three awareness weeks: Flood Safety Awareness Week, National Groundwater Awareness Week and Fix a Leak Week.
Flood Safety Awareness Week, Feb. 25-March 2 – One of the most frequently occurring natural disasters in Wisconsin is flooding. Flood waters and runoff contaminate water supplies. The DNR shared information on minimizing flood damage, purchasing flood insurance, climate change impacts and solutions and recommendations for inundated private wells.
National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 10-16 - With approximately 70% of Wisconsinites relying on Groundwater as their primary source of water, the DNR’s Drinking Water and Groundwater Program highlighted the importance of Wisconsin’s groundwater. Special this year was Governor Tony Evers’ official proclamation of National Groundwater Awareness Week. The Program also celebrated the work of well drillers. Matt Phelps, well driller for Midwest Drilling in Chippewa County shared a glimpse at the work it takes to access groundwater in Wisconsin. Groundwater research is a valuable tool to provide information to protect and more efficiently manage our state’s groundwater resources. The program published a PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) ambient shallow groundwater study in November 2023 and encourages the public learn more about Wisconsin groundwater by reading the study.
Fix A Leak Week, March 18-24 – Water conservation matters, even in a water-rich state like Wisconsin. The United States wastes nearly 1 trillion gallons of water each year due to household leaks. The DNR highlighted the importance of preventing household water waste and practicing water conservation. To learn more about finding leaks in your home or business and easy ways to fix them, visit the DNR’s Water Conservation and Efficiency webpage.
These awareness weeks continue to help instill the DNR’s commitment to protecting Wisconsin’s drinking water.