% PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL
% PRODUCTION.
% >> LATER DAY WE'RE POISED TO
% PASS THE RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE
% ACT OUT OF THE SENATE AND TAKE
% THE NEXT STEP TO MAKE MARRIAGE
% EQUALITY THE LAW OF THE LAND.
% >> PROTECTING SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
% TAKES ONE MAJOR STEP FORWARD.
% >> THE BILL AS AMENDED HAS
% PASSED.
% >> MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT A GREAT
% DAY.
% WHAT A GREAT DAY.
% [APPLAUSE]
% >> I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
% TONIGHT ON "HERE AND NOW"
% SENATOR TAMMY BALDWIN DESCRIBES
% HER WORK SHEPHERDING THE RESPECT
% FOR MARRIAGE ACT THROUGH THE
% U.S. SENATE.
% A FORMER STATE SUPREME COURT
% JUSTICE WARNS OF A CASE THAT
% COULD PERMANENTLY CEMENT POWER
% OVER ELECTIONS IN THE
% LEGISLATURE.%A WISCONSIN VILL
AGE DIVIDED OVER
% CONTAMINATED WATER, AND THE
% EMERGENCY STATE OF EMS.
% IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR
% DECEMBER 2ND.
% >> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
% PROVIDED FOR THE FOCUS FUND FOR
% JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
% WISCONSIN.
% >> LANDMARK LEGISLATION PASSED
% THE U.S. SENATE ON A BIPARTISAN
% VOTE THIS WEEK.
% THE RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT
% INSURES THAT SAME SEX AND
% INTERRACIAL MARRIAGES ARE
% ENSHRINED IN FEDERAL LAW.
% THE BILL PASSED 61-36 ON TUESDAY
% INCLUDING SUPPORT FROM 12
% REPUBLICANS.
% NOT AMONG THEM WISCONSIN'S OTHER
% SENATOR REPUBLICAN RON JOHNSON.
% IN A STATEMENT ON HIS NO VOTE HE
% SAID IN PART THE DEMOCRATS
% CONTINUE TO USE THIS TO CREATE A
% STATE OF FEAR OVER A SETTLED
% ISSUE IN ORDER TO DIVIDE
% AMERICANS FOR THEIR POLITICAL
% BENEFIT.%THE SUBSTITUTE AMEND
MENT DID NOT
% PROVIDE SUFFICIENT PROTECTION
% FOR THOSE WITH STRONGLY-HELD
% RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
% THE CHAMBER'S FIRST OPENLY GAY
% SENATOR, WISCONSIN DEMOCRAT
% TAMMY BALDWIN WAS LEAD SPONSOR.
% SHE JOINED US EARLIER FROM
% WASHINGTON.
% SENATOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
% JOINING US.
% >> MY PLEASURE.
% >> SO HOW MEANINGFUL IS IT TO
% YOU THAT THE RESPECT FOR
% MARRIAGE ACT PASSED THE SENATE
% THIS WEEK?
% >> IT'S MEANINGFUL ON SO MANY
% DIFFERENT LEVELS.
% I WILL START WITH THE FACT THAT
% I HAVE HEARD FROM SO MANY WHO
% ARE EXPRESSING GRATITUDE BECAUSE
% THEY HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY WORRIED
% ABOUT THE FUTURE RECOGNITION OF
% THEIR MARRIAGES BECAUSE OF THE
% THREAT THAT HANGS OVER IT AFTER
% THE DOBBS DECISION OF THE U.S.
% SUPREME COURT EARLIER THIS
% SUMMER.
% AND COUNTLESS INDIVIDUALS HAVE
% SAID HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO HAVE A
% LITTLE BIT MORE PEACE OF MIND
% NOW THAT THE RESPECT FOR
% MARRIAGE ACT IS HEADED TOWARDS
% BEING SIGNED INTO LAW BY
% PRESIDENT BIDEN.
% IT'S ALSO MEANINGFUL IN, I
% THINK, A SORT OF BIGGER ARC OF
% HISTORY, IF YOU WILL.
% THIS VOTE WOULD HAVE BEEN
% UNIMAGINABLE JUST A DECADE AGO.
% THAT'S NOT WHERE THE SENATE WAS,
% IT'S NOT WHERE THE CONGRESS WAS
% AND THAT'S NOT WHERE THE PEOPLE
% OF THE UNITED STATES WERE.
% AND SO I THINK HEARTS AND MINDS
% HAVE CHANGED.
% IN FACT I KNOW THAT'S THE CASE.
% 70% PLUS OF AMERICANS IN
% WISCONSIN SUPPORT MARRIAGE
% EQUALITY AND I GUESS WE'RE
% GAINING ON THOSE NUMBERS IN THE
% U.S. SENATE.
% WE HAD AT LEAST 61 OUT OF 100
% JOIN TOGETHER TO PASS THE
% RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT.
% IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT WHERE WE'RE
% MOVING AS A COUNTRY.
% >> WHAT PRECISELY DOES THE ACT
% PROVIDE FOR GAY OR INTERRACIAL
% MARRIED COUPLES?
% >> YEAH, SO IF EITHER OF THE
% SUPREME COURT RULINGS THAT
% PROTECTED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE OR
% MADE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE THE LAW
% OF THE LAND, OR MAY INTERRACIAL
% MARRIAGES POSSIBLE IN EVERY
% SINGLE STATE, IF EITHER OF THOSE
% CASES WERE TO FALL, IT WOULD
% REQUIRE THAT STATES, REGARDLESS
% OF WHAT THEIR STATE LAW OR
% CONSTITUTION SAYS, WOULD HAVE TO
% RESPECT AND HONOR THROUGH THE
% FULL FAITH AND CREDIT CLAUSE OF
% THE U.S. CONSTITUTION MARRIAGES
% THAT WERE VALID WHERE ENTERED
% AND WHEN ENTERED.
% SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN A STATE LIKE
% WISCONSIN, WHERE WE HAVE A
% CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BANNING
% SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, WISCONSIN
% WOULD NEVERTHELESS STILL HAVE TO
% RECOGNIZE ANY VALID SAME-SEX
% MARRIAGE THAT WAS ENTERED INTO
% EITHER IN WISCONSIN WHEN IT WAS
% LEGAL, RIGHT?
% OR IN ANOTHER STATE WHERE IT IS
% OR WAS LEGAL.
% AND THE OTHER THING THAT THE
% RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT DOES IS
% REPEAL THE 1996 FEDERAL ACT
% CALLED THE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE
% ACT.%THAT CREATED A FEDERAL B
ARRIER
% TO RECOGNITION OF SAME-SEX
% MARRIAGES.
% IT IS STILL ON THE BOOKS, AND IT
% HAS BEEN RENDERED TOOTHLESS BY
% THE SUPREME COURT IN THEIR
% MARRIAGE EQUALITY CASE BUT IT IS
% STILL ON THE BOOKS.
% SO THIS GETS RID OF IT.
% IT WILL BE OFF THE BOOKS.
% >> HOW IN THIS HYPER POLARIZED
% POLITICAL LANDSCAPE DID YOU GET
% THE REPUBLICAN VOTES TO GET
% HERE?
% >> I THINK THERE WERE A NUMBER
% OF DIFFERENT WAYS AND FRANKLY,
% YOU KNOW, TALKING TO REPUBLICANS
% WHO WANTED TO GET TO YES, BUT
% LISTENING, CANCELING TO WHAT
% THEIR CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS
% WERE AND BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH
% SOME REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES ON
% CRAFTING LANGUAGE TO CLARIFY
% ANSWERS TO THEIR QUESTIONS.
% SO LET ME RESTATE THAT I THINK A
% HUGE DIFFERENCE HAS BEEN MADE
% THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY REPUBLICAN
% COLLEAGUES WHO DON'T KNOW A GAY
% COUPLE, A LESBIAN COUPLE, WHO
% DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT MARRIAGE
% EQUALITY HAS MEANT IN AMERICA.
% >> WHAT IS YOUR COMMENT ON
% WISCONSIN'S OTHER SENATOR NEWLY
% REELECTED REPUBLICAN RON
% JOHNSON'S NO VOTE ON THIS?
% >> OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE TO ASK
% HIM.
% HE WAS ON ALL SIDES OF THIS
% ISSUE, WHICH WAS QUITE PUZZLING.
% I KNOW EARLY ON HE TALKED WITH
% THE WISCONSIN REPORTER AND SAID
% HE SAW NO REASON TO OBJECT TO IT
% TO NOT PASS IT.
% AND THEN WENT THROUGH LOTS OF --
% CITING SOME OF THE RELIGIOUS
% LIBERTY CONCERNS THAT SOME OF MY
% OTHER REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES
% VOICED.
% BUT WE WERE ABLE TO FASHION A
% RESPONSE TO THAT THAT LED TO THE
% ENDORSEMENT OF THIS BROAD
% COALITION OF FAITH-BASED
% ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE
% CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER
% DAY SAINTS, THE 7TH DAY
% ADVENTISTS, EVANGELICAL
% CHURCHES.
% A GROUP THAT REPRESENTS
% CHRISTIAN COLLEGES AND
% UNIVERSITIES.
% ORTHODOX JEWS.
% IT WAS AN AMAZING COALITION WHO
% IS SAYING LOOK, HAVING THESE
% RELIGIOUS LIBERTIES CLARIFIED
% AND TO CLARIFY IN THE BILL THIS
% IS STATUS QUO.
% >> WE KNOW THE BILL GOES BACK TO
% THE HOUSE FOR A FINAL VOTE
% BEFORE THE PRESIDENT SIGNS IT.
% BUT WHAT MORE IS LEFT TO DO IN
% YOUR MIND ON BEHALF OF LGBTQ
% CITIZENS?
% >> WE HAVE WORK TO DO TO ADDRESS
% THESE REPEALS OF THESE BANS OF
% SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN THE STATES,
% INCLUDING BY AMENDING OUR
% CONSTITUTION IN WISCONSIN.
% BUT ON THE BROADER QUESTION, YOU
% KNOW, AT THE SAME TIME THAT
% WE'RE CELEBRATING THE PASSAGE OF
% THE RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT, WE
% KNOW THAT RECORD NUMBERS OF
% ANTI-LGBTQ LEGISLATION,
% PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON
% TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS AND
% TRANSGENDER YOUTH ARE BEING
% INTRODUCED IN STATES ACROSS
% AMERICA AND THE RHETORIC EXISTS
% ON CAPITOL HILL.
% A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE TO
% ACHIEVE FULL EQUALITY AND
% EQUITY.% THAT WORK REMAINS
AHEAD OF US.
% >> WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE FOR YOU
% TO SEE THIS ACT SIGNED INTO LAW?
% >> I THINK I MIGHT GET A BIT
% CHOKED UP.
% I KNOW IT WILL MAKE A
% DIFFERENCE.
% I KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE JUST WERE
% RESTING A LITTLE BIT EASIER UPON
% SENATE PASSAGE KNOWING THAT THIS
% WAS ULTIMATELY GOING TO BECOME
% LAW.%>> SENATOR TAMMY BALDWIN
, THANK
% YOU VERY MUCH.
% >> THANK YOU.
% >> A HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED U.S.
% SUPREME COURT CASE SET FOR ORAL
% ARGUMENTS NEXT WEEK HAS LEGAL
% EXPERTS SOUNDING THE ALARM ON
% ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR EVERY
% STATE, PERHAPS MOST ESPECIALLY
% INCLUDING WISCONSIN.
% THE HIGH COURT TAKES UP A CASE
% ORIGINATING OUT OF NORTH
% CAROLINA WHERE THAT STATE'S HIGH
% COURT STRUCK DOWN
% REPUBLICAN-DRAWN CONGRESSIONAL
% MAPS CALLING THEM A PARTISAN
% GERRYMANDER.
% REPUBLICANS THEN APPEALED TO THE
% U.S. SUPREME COURT ARGUING STATE
% LEGISLATURES HAVE SOLE AUTHORITY
% TO SET RULES FOR ELECTIONS.
% FORMER WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT
% JUSTICE JANINE GESKE JOINED IN A
% BRIEF CALLING ON THE HIGH COURT
% TO REJECT THIS INDEPENDENT STATE
% LEGISLATURE THEORY.
% SHE JOINS US NOW.
% THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
% >> MY PLEASURE.
% >> SO WHY ARE YOU SOUNDING THE
% ALARM ON THIS?
% >> I THINK -- FIRST I THINK IT'S
% UNDER THE RADAR FOR PEOPLE TO
% UNDERSTAND THE COURT IS
% CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THERE
% WILL BE NO STATE COURT REVIEW OF
% ANY ACTIONS BY LEGISLATURES ON
% CONGRESSIONAL RACES.
% SO HOW THE ELECTION RULES ARE
% SET, HOW PEOPLE VOTE, HOW THEY
% ARE COUNTED, AND ULTIMATELY HOW
% THE LINES ARE DRAWN WILL NOT BE
% REVIEWABLE BY STATE COURTS.
% THAT'S PRETTY UNIQUE.
% THE GOVERNOR HAS NO VETO POWER
% OVER IT AND THE COURTS HAVE NO
% REVIEWABILITY, SO I THINK IT IS
% REALLY IMPORTANT.
% REALLY TAKING AWAY THE VOICE OF
% THE PEOPLE THROUGH THE
% INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY AND HAVING
% LEGISLATURES MAKE THE FINAL CALL
% ON THIS.
% IN NORTH CAROLINA THE COURT HELD
% THAT IT VIOLATED, WHAT THE
% LEGISLATURE DONE VIOLATED THE
% NORTH CAROLINA CONSTITUTION.
% AND, YOU KNOW, THE U.S. SUPREME
% COURT IS BEING ASKED TO THROW
% THAT UP AND SAY IT'S NOT UP TO
% NORTH CAROLINA COURTS TO DECIDE
% THAT.
% >> SO IN THE CASE OF WISCONSIN
% SHOULD THAT COME TO PASS THAT
% THE HIGH COURT AGREED WITH THE
% NORTH CAROLINA REPUBLICANS,
% WISCONSIN'S OUTSIZED REPUBLICAN
% MAJORITY LEGISLATURE CERTAINLY
% COULD THROW ITS WEIGHT AROUND.
% BUT WOULD IT IN YOUR MIND?
% >> I THINK IT WOULD, YOU KNOW.
% THE REPUBLICAN-LED LEGISLATURE
% HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK ON
% ELECTIONS AND CHANGING VOTING
% RULES AND, YOU KNOW -- BUT
% FORTUNATELY THERE IS ALWAYS THAT
% REVIEWABILITY OF THE COURT.
% IN SOME CASES, EVEN THOUGH WE
% HAVE A COURT THAT'S DIVIDED,
% SOME CASES HAVE REVERSED SOME OF
% THE THINGS THE LEGISLATURE HAS
% DONE AND SOME HAVE AFFIRMED IT.
% BUT NOT TO HAVE THAT
% REVIEWABILITY WOULD GIVE MORE
% POWER TO THE LEGISLATURE.
% I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THEY WOULD
% TAKE IT.
% >> SO THIS THEORY WOULD YOU SAY
% IS PUSHED BY EXTREME PARTISANS?
% IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WAS AT PLAY
% WHEN REPUBLICAN FALSE ELECTORS
% IN WISCONSIN TRIED TO TOSS UP
% BIDEN'S SLATE FOR TRUMP
% ELECTORS.%WHERE DO YOU THINK
THE U.S.
% SUPREME COURT WILL GO WITH THIS?
% >> IT'S INTERESTING.
% THERE ARE AT LEAST FOUR
% JUSTICES, THE MORE CONSERVATIVE
% ONES THAT VOICED AN INTEREST IN
% THIS THEORY.
% JOHN ROBERTS HAS AS WELL.
% I DON'T THINK JOHN ROBERTS WILL
% DO SOMETHING TO TAKE POWER AWAY
% FROM THE STATE COURTS.
% THAT'S JUST MY SENSE.
% HE FEELS VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THE
% IMPORTANCE OF THE JUDICIARY AND
% THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE
% JUDICIARY AND THERE IS AN AMICUS
% BRIEF REPRESENTING ALL THE CHIEF
% JUSTICES FROM ALL 50 STATES
% ASKING THE COURT NOT TO ADOPT
% THIS LEGISLATIVE THEORY.
% AND I HAVE -- IT IS A GUT
% FEELING FROM WATCHING JOHN
% ROBERTS THAT HE WON'T GO ALONG
% WITH IT.
% N WHICH CASE THEY WOULDN'T HAVE
% ENOUGH VOTES.
% BUT WE'LL SEE WITH THE ARGUMENT
% NEXT WEEK.
% >> WHAT WILL YOU BE LISTENING
% FOR FROM JUSTICES?
% >> ACTUALLY JOHN ROBERTS.
% THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS HE WILL
% ASK.
% THE CONSERVATIVE ONES INDICATED
% THEY ARE DOING A VERY NARROW AND
% NOT VERY POPULAR READING OF THE
% U.S. CONSTITUTION IN TERMS OF
% CONTROL OF ELECTIONS AND THEY'VE
% WRITTEN ON THAT IN THE PAST.
% I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYBODY ELSE
% WHO, YOU KNOW, THE MORE MODERATE
% OR LIBERAL OR WHATEVER YOU WANT
% TO CALL THEM JUSTICES WOULD GO.
% IT'S UP TO JOHN ROBERTS TO MAKE
% THE CALL, I THINK.
% I'LL BE REAL INTERESTED IN WHAT
% HE IS ASKING THEM.
% IN PARTICULAR WHAT HE IS ASKING
% THE REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE BROUGHT
% THIS SUIT ABOUT TAKING AWAY THE
% POWER OF THE STATE COURTS.
% >> IN THE END, HOW IN YOUR MIND
% WOULD GIVING LEGISLATURES SOLE
% AUTHORITY OVER ELECTIONS THWART
% THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE?
% >> WELL, IT WOULD TAKE -- YOU
% KNOW, IN OUR STATE, WE ELECT AN
% INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY TO BE A
% CHECK AND BALANCE ON OUR
% GOVERNOR AND ON THE LEGISLATURE.
% IT WILL TAKE THAT CHECK AND
% BALANCE AWAY.
% AND THE ONLY ATTACK WOULD BE TO
% A FEDERAL COURT IF A FEDERAL
% COURT WOULD TAKE IT.
% SO IT REALLY DOES TAKE THAT
% INDEPENDENT REVIEW BY THE STATE,
% CONSISTENT WITH THE STATE
% CONSTITUTION OF WHETHER THIS WAS
% A LAWFUL GERRYMANDERED OR
% WHETHER IT'S A LAWFUL RULE.
% I THINK THAT WE'VE SEEN HOW
% IMPORTANT THAT IS OVER THE LAST
% SEVERAL ELECTIONS, WHERE PEOPLE
% ARE ARGUING ABOUT WHETHER
% ELECTIONS ARE VALID OR INVALID
% AND HOW YOU COUNT VOTES AND
% THINGS.%NOT TO HAVE REVIEWAB
ILITY IN THE
% STATE IS VERY DANGEROUS.
% >> FORMER SUPREME COURT JUSTICE
% STATE OF WISCONSIN JANINE GESKE,
% THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
% >> YOU'RE WELCOME.
% >> WE NOW TURN TO CENTRAL
% WISCONSIN WHERE THE DISCOVERY OF
% NITRATE IN DRINKING WATER IS
% POSING A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH
% IN A SMALL VILLAGE.
% OUR REPORTER NATHAN DENZIN TAKES
% US TO NELSONVILLE FOR THE STORY.
% >> IT STARTED WHEN I BOUGHT THIS
% HOUSE.
% >> TEAR ONHAS LIVED IN
% NELSONVILLE FOR TEN YEARS.
% WHEN HE FIRST MOVED IN AND
% STARTED TESTING, HIS PRIVATE
% WELL SAW HIGH NITRATE LEVELS.
% >> THEY OFFERED ANOTHER
% SCREENING IN THE VILLAGE OF AM
% HERS AND I DECIDED TO GET A
% BUNCH OF GLASS MASON JARS AND
% TOOK THEM AROUND AND COLLECTED
% SAMPLES FROM ALL MY NEIGHBORS
% AND ABOUT HALF OF THOSE SAMPLES
% CAME BACK ABOVE TEN.
% >> ABOVE TEN MEANS MORE THAN TEN
% PARTS PER MILLION THE LISTED
% UNSAFE LIMIT FOR NITRATES.
% IF YOU'VE EVER DRIVEN BY FARMS
% IN WISCONSIN, CHANCES ARE YOU'VE
% SMELLED MANURE GETTING SPRAYED
% ON CROPS.
% WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW, THE
% PROCESS OF FERTILIZING FARMLAND
% THE LEAVE A CHEMICAL CALLED
% NITRATE IN THE SOIL.
% THEY CAN HAVE SERIOUS HEALTH
% EFFECTS IF THEY LEECH INTO
% DRINKING WATER.
% NITRATES ARE PRODUCED NATURALLY
% WHEN MANURE IS SPRAYED ON CROPS.
% NITRATE IS NECESSARY FOR MOST
% CASH CROPS LIKE CORN OR ALFALFA
% TO GROW.
% GEORGE KRAFT.
% >> RAINWATER AND SNOW MELT, THEY
% WASH THE NITRATE DOWN THROUGH
% THE SOIL AND IT'S A SLIPPERY
% CHEMICAL THAT DOESN'T WANT TO
% STICK AND MOVES THROUGH THE SOIL
% PROFILE AND GETS TO GROUNDWATER.
% >> NORMALLY WISCONSIN'S
% CLAY-RICH SOIL FILTERS OUT
% NITRATE BEFORE THE CHEMICAL CAN
% REACH PRIVATE WELLS.
% HOWEVER, IN THE CENTRAL SANDS
% RIDGE OWN IN AND AROUND PORTAGE
% COUNTY NITRATES MOVE QUICKLY
% THROUGH SANDY SOIL AND
% INFILTRATE GROUNDWATER.
% THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF
% HEALTH SERVICES SAYS HIGH LEVELS
% OF NITRATE IN DRINKING WATER CAN
% CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS, THYROID
% DISEASE AND INCREASE THE RISK OF
% COLON CANCER.
% ANY LEVEL ABOVE TEN PARTS PER
% MILLION.
% NELSONVILLE HAS BEEN DEALING
% WITH NITRATE PROBLEM SINCE 2018.
% IT IS LIKELY THE PROBLEM HAS
% EXISTED IN THE AREA FOR DECADES.
% >> IN 2018 THE RESIDENTS WHO
% LIVE WITHIN THE VILLAGE OF
% NELSONVILLE STARTED ASKING
% QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT YOUR
% WATER QUALITY AND WHEN WE
% STARTED TRYING TO FIND DATA TO
% ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS, WE
% REALIZED THERE REALLY WASN'T A
% WHOLE LOT.
% >> USING GRANT MONEY, PORTAGE
% COUNTY WATER RESOURCE SPECIALIST
% JEN MCNELLY AND OTHER COUNTY
% SCIENTISTS SAMPLED 60 OF THE
% VILLAGE'S 80 PRIVATE WELLS AND
% FOUND RESULTS THAT ALARMED HER.
% ABOUT HALF OF ALL WELLS IN
% NELSONVILLE SHOW NITRATE LEVELS
% ABOVE THE SAFE LIMIT OF TEN
% PARTS PER MILLION WITH SOME EVEN
% REACHING A DANGEROUS TIPPING
% POINT OF OVER 30 PARTS PER
% MILLION.
% IF NITRATE LEVELS REACH 30 PARTS
% PER MILLION WATER CAN NO LONGER
% BE CLEANED AND MADE SAFE.
% HOWEVER, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO
% TELL IF YOUR WATER IS
% CONTAMINATED UNLESS YOU
% REGULARLY TEST IT.
% >> IT DOESN'T TASTE ANY
% DIFFERENT.
% IT DOESN'T LOOK ANY DIFFERENT.
% THERE IS NO SMELL TO IT.
% IT TASTES GREAT.
% >> MARK BRUEGGEMANN HAS WELL
% WATER ABOVE TEN PARTS PER
% MILLION.
% IT APPROACHES THE 30 PARTS PER
% MILLION LIMIT.
% >> WE CAN'T GO ON WITH THAT
% WATER.
% IT IS NECESSARY FOR ANYTHING YOU
% WANT TO DO.
% >> BREWING MAN LIVES IN A HOUSE
% WITH HIS WIFE DIAGNOSED WITH
% ALZHEIMER'S.
% HE SAID AFTER GETTING RESULTS
% THAT SHOWED HIS WATER AT
% DANGEROUS LEVELS HE CONTACTED
% CULLIGAN TO INSTALL A REVERSE
% OSMOSIS MACHINE, RO MACHINES CAN
% FILTER NITRATE UNDER 30 PARTS
% PER MILLION.
% BRUEGGEMANN SAYS HIS WIFE WOULD
% OFTEN DRINK WATER FROM THE
% FAUCET NOT CONNECTED TO THE RO
% MACHINE.%>> WE NOW KEEP JUGS
OF WATER IN
% THE REFRIGERATOR AND LOIS PRETTY
% MUCH DOESN'T GET HER OWN WATER
% ANYMORE.
% >> RO MACHINES ARE ONE BAND-AID
% SOLUTION.% HIS FAMILY OPTED
TO GET THEIR
% WATER FROM A TOWN IN LYND 40
% MILES AWAY FROM NELSONVILLE.
% >> NOT TOO BAD.
% ALMOST 30 DEGREES.
% SWIMMING WHETHER IN SCONNIE.
% >> I DRIVE WEEKLY AND FILL UP
% ANY SEVEN GALLON JUGS.
% I FILL 4 OR 5 OF THEM.
% >> HE SAYS HE TESTED THIS WATER
% TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAVE
% NITRATE AND NOW MAKES THE
% 90-MINUTE JOURNEY ABOUT ONCE A
% WEEK.
% >> IN THE SUMMER IT'S NOT TOO
% BAD.
% IN THE WINTERTIME IT CAN SUCK.
% IT GETS ALL ICE AND HEAVY.
% >> THE REST OF THE RESIDENTS
% WHERE THE NITRATES COME FROM.
% >> DIRECTORS OF EMERGENCY
% MEDICAL SERVICES ACROSS
% WISCONSIN ARE WARNING OF A
% SYSTEM ON THE BRINK.
% THIS IS ACCORDING TO OUR NEXT
% GUEST WHO SAYS THERE IS NOT
% ENOUGH MONEY AND NOT ENOUGH
% PEOPLE TO PERFORM THE LIFESAVING
% WORK.
% AND THAT EMS HAS RELIED TOO
% HEAVILY ON VENAL TIERS FOR TOO
% LONG.
% JAMES SMALL IS THE RURAL
% OUTREACH MANAGER FOR THE
% WISCONSIN ASSOCIATION OF RURAL
% HEALTH.%HOW IS THE EMS SYSTE
M ON THE
% BRINK?
% >> RIGHT NOW IN MANY COMMUNITIES
% AROUND THE STATE AND AROUND THE
% COUNTRY THIS ISN'T JUST A
% WISCONSIN ISSUE, IT IS A
% NATIONAL ISSUE THAT'S GOING ON.
% THERE IS MANY COMMUNITIES THAT
% HAVE HISTORICALLY DEPENDED ON
% VOLUNTEERS OR NEAR VOLUNTEERS
% WHERE THEY'RE BEING A PAID A
% SMALL AMOUNT BUT NOT A FULL-TIME
% WAGE FOR PROVIDING EMS RESPONSE.
% AND WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THAT
% WE'VE HAD A DECLINE IN THE
% NUMBER OF PEOPLE AVAILABLE TO DO
% THAT.
% AND THERE IS NOT THE FINANCIAL
% RESOURCES TO REPLACE THEM WITH
% FULL-TIME STAFF.
% SO AS YOU LOOK AROUND THE STATE
% AT WHAT THE SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE,
% ABOUT A THIRD OR MAYBE A LITTLE
% OVER A THIRD OF AMBULANCE
% SERVICES IN WISCONSIN TODAY ARE
% NOT ABLE TO STAFF 24/7, 365 LIKE
% THEY ARE REQUIRED TO.
% SO ONE IN THREE LET'S SAY.
% IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE IS
% ANOTHER THIRD THAT ARE CONCERNED
% THAT THEY CAN'T DO THAT THROUGH
% 2023.%SO WITHIN THE NEXT YEA
R THEY MAY
% HAVE SYSTEM OUTAGES.
% ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IT PLACES
% THE BURDEN ON THE NEIGHBORING
% SERVICES TO HANDLE THEIR CALLS
% AND EVEN BEEN SITUATIONS WHERE
% SOMEBODY HAS CALLED 911 AND THE
% AMBULANCE NEVER MADE IT TO THE
% HOUSE BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET
% AN AMBULANCE FOR THEM.
% >> DO YOU FEEL AS THOUGH
% STAKEHOLDERS, LAWMAKERS ARE
% AWARE OF WHAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED
% AS A CRISIS?
% >> YES.
% IN THE DISCUSSIONS I'VE HAD IN
% THE LAST FEW MONTHS WITH THE
% LEGISLATURE, I BELIEVE THEY'RE
% VERY AWARE THAT THERE IS A
% CRISIS AND ARE PLANNING ON
% WORKING TOWARDS A SOLUTION TO
% THAT IN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE
% SESSION.%>> DOES THE SOLUTION
TO THAT, IS
% IT MONEY?
% IS THAT WHAT MUNICIPALITIES
% NEED?
% >> OH, THAT'S PROBABLY FIRST AND
% FOREMOST AREA WE NEED TO GO DOWN
% IS INCREASING THE FUNDING TO
% LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES.
% RIGHT NOW THE FUNDING THAT COMES
% FROM THE STATE THROUGH THE
% SHARED REVENUE PROGRAM IS THE
% SAME AMOUNT IT WAS IN 1993.
% TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE.
% IN 1993 IS WHEN I GOT MY EMS
% LICENSE ORIGINALLY AND I'M
% ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE IN THREE
% YEARS.
% SO I COULD CONCEIVABLY HAVE
% WORKED MY ENTIRE CAREER UNDER
% THE SAME AMOUNT OF SHARED
% REVENUE AS WHAT IS OUT THERE
% TODAY.
% >> HOW LONG HAS THE ISSUE WITH
% EMS BEEN A SITUATION?
% >> IT'S BEEN GROWING FOR
% PROBABLY 20 YEARS AT THIS POINT.
% IT JUST REACHED A CRISIS POINT.
% SIX YEARS AGO THE LEGISLATURE
% DID A LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL STUDY
% COMMITTEE WHICH LOOKED AT ISSUES
% AND WHAT SOLUTIONS RELATING TO
% THIS BUT NEVER GOT ANY TRACTION
% IMPLEMENTING ANY OF THE IDEAS
% BROUGHT FORTH FROM THAT
% COMMITTEE.%I THINK NOW WE'RE
IN A DIFFERENT
% POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE
% MAYBE SOME OF THOSE IDEAS CAN BE
% BROUGHT FORTH AGAIN.
% >> IS THERE A REGION OF THE
% STATE WHERE THIS IS MOST ACUTE?
% >> IN THE MORE RURAL AREAS IT'S
% MORE ACUTE FOR THE MOST PART.
% BUT I THINK THAT AS YOU GO
% AROUND THE STATE, YOU WILL FIND
% THAT MOST REGIONS HAVE AREAS
% THAT ARE HAVING DIFFICULTIES.
% RIGHT NOW WE'RE CONDUCTING A
% STUDY OF THE STATEWIDE SYSTEM
% AND WE'RE SEEING REPORTS FROM
% ALL OVER THE STATE DESCRIBING
% SYSTEM OUTAGES AND LACK OF
% STAFFING AND SO ON.
% >> IS THERE A DOLLAR FIGURE FOR
% WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO TRY TO
% REPLACE THE AGING VOLUNTEER
% POPULATION WITH FULL-TIME PAID
% STAFF?
% >> I WOULD IMAGINE THAT'S IN THE
% HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
% I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHETHER
% IT'S 200 MILLION OR 500 MILLION
% OR UPWARDS OF THAT.
% BUT IN ADDITION TO THE EMS THERE
% IS ALSO THE FIRE RESPONSE ISSUES
% WITH THE VOLUNTEER FIRE
% DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE VERY
% SIMILAR.
% LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS SIMILAR
% ISSUES ALSO WITH FUNDING AND NOT
% ENOUGH PEOPLE.
% SO PUBLIC SAFETY AS A WHOLE IS
% HAVING A LOT OF CHALLENGES RIGHT
% NOW THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT
% SOLUTIONS FOR GOING FORWARD SO
% WE CAN AT LEAST STOP THE
% BLEEDING AND START BUILDING
% THINGS BACK TO WHERE WE NEED TO
% HAVE RESPONSE CAPABILITY.
% YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT SOME OF
% THESE TRAGIC INCIDENT THAT
% HAPPEN AROUND THE COUNTRY.
% IF ONE OF THOSE HAPPENED IN
% CERTAIN AREAS OF OUR STATE RIGHT
% NOW WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY
% OF RESPONDING TO THOSE
% INCIDENTS.
% >> SO WHAT IS THE SITUATION LIKE
% FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF WHO
% DEDICATE YOUR LIFE'S WORK TO
% SAVING OTHERS?
% >> IT'S CHALLENGING.
% I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE SEEING
% IS THAT PEOPLE ARE BURNED OUT.
% YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE NUMEROUS
% SERVICES AROUND THE STATE THAT
% ARE BEING OPERATED ON 3 OR 4
% VOLUNTEERS TRYING TO COVER 24/7,
% 365.
% IT IS A HUGE BURDEN TO PUT ON
% SOMEBODY THAT ALREADY HAS A
% FULL-T
% FULL-TIME JOB.
% THESE PEOPLE HAVE DONE ANYTHING
% IN THEIR POWER TO MAKE IT WORK
% BUT THEY CAN'T ANYMORE.
% IN SOME CASES, THE SYSTEM
% FAILURES ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE
% OUR DEDICATED EMPLOYEE HAS
% PASSED AWAY SO THEY'VE LOST THAT
% CONTRIBUTION BECAUSE THEY WORKED
% UNTIL THEY DIED.
% THERE ARE SERVICES THAT HAVE AN
% AVERAGE AGE ON THE ROSTER OF
% OVER 70 YEARS OLD.
% IT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE WHERE
% WE'RE AT AND LOOKING AT A
% COLLAPSE OF THE SYSTEM IN
% REGIONS AROUND THE STATE.
% >> THAT'S SOUNDING THE ALARM.
% JAMES SMALL, THANK YOU VERY
% MUCH.
% FOR MORE ON THIS AND OTHER
% ISSUES FACING WISCONSIN, VISIT
% OUR WEBSITE AND CLICK ON THE
% NEWS TAB.
% I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG, HAVE A
% GOOD WEEKEND.
% >> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
% PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
% JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
% WISCONSIN.