Water contaminants not regulated; medical cannabis a potential $1B industry for WI; criminal investigation into MKE’s lead problems
Of note: While concerns by Wisconsin residents over the quality of their drinking water were rising, former Gov. Scott Walker’s administration was slow-walking creating standards for 67 contaminants, the Wisconsin State Journal’s Steve Verburg found. Verburg spoke with current and former regulators from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources who said the process for approving standards had slowed but they were not told why.
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Wisconsin’s protections against new drinking water pollutants slowed under Scott Walker
Wisconsin State Journal — April 21, 2019
Now state toxicologists are buried in contaminants that need evaluation for standards that would protect drinking water. The administration of former Gov. Scott Walker lengthened by several years the state’s already-protracted process for setting pollution standards that protect public health from contaminated drinking water, according to retired and current state groundwater regulators. Among those new pollutants are PFAS: Scientists dig into hard questions about the fluorinated pollutants known as PFAS
Study: Wisconsin would see $1.1 billion benefit with medical marijuana legalization
Wisconsin State Journal — April 21, 2019
Graduate students at the La Follette School of Public Affairs analyzed how factors such as administrative costs and consumers purchases would be affected by the legalization of medical marijuana. But Republicans who run the Legislature remain mostly opposed. Earlier from Wisconsin Watch: Marijuana advocates have hope but face hurdles as Wisconsin eyes legalization
$768M Wisconsin Powerball winner ‘pretty much felt lucky’
Associated Press — April 23, 2019
A 24-year-old Wisconsin man stepped forward Tuesday to claim a $768 million Powerball prize, the nation’s third-largest lottery jackpot, saying he “pretty much felt lucky” the day he bought his tickets and has been worried that people want to steal his ticket. Now, some Wisconsin lawmakers want to keep the names of lottery winners secret, which would have made this investigation by Wisconsin Watch impossible to do: Some people repeatedly win the Wisconsin Lottery. Do they play fair?
DA confirms ongoing investigation into Health Department over handling of lead
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service — April 23, 2019
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm confirmed that his office is investigating the Health Department’s lead abatement programs. Previously in Wisconsin Watch: Milwaukee takes action to reduce lead in water; critics say it is not enough
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