Wisconsin lawmakers sign off on 9 pollution settlements

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin lawmakers signed off Tuesday on $378,000 in settlements of nine pollution lawsuits.

The settlement payments to the state approved by the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee range from $5,000 to $160,000 and involve lawsuits against cities, small and large farms, a dairy farm and others.

State law requires the Republican-controlled committee to approve any settlements entered into by the attorney general’s office.

The largest settlement approved was for $160,000 to be paid by United Liquid Waste Recycling Inc. It was accused of failing to report two waste spills, spreading waste in prohibited areas and failing to file timely reports and maintain proper records.

In another case, Emerald Sky Dairy LLC in St. Croix County agreed to pay $65,000 for failing to properly contain manure in 2019.

Under another settlement, the city of Elkhorn agreed to pay $45,000 for exceeding maximum radium and arsenic levels in the city’s water system in 2019 and 2018.