Lead-Safe Schools MKE Demands DNR Treat Milwaukee Kids Equitably
Press Release: Wisconsin DNR's Delay of Action is Harming Milwaukee's Kids
Milwaukee, WI – Lead-Safe Schools MKE is calling on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to take immediate regulatory action in response to lead-contaminated soil at Golda Meir Lower Campus, where at least one child has already been lead poisoned. Despite confirmed soil contamination exceeding state safety standards and documented indoor lead dust hazards, DNR has yet to issue a Responsible Party (RP) letter or require remediation, as mandated under law.
Under Wisconsin’s Spills Law (ch. 292, Wis. Stats.) and NR 700 series rules, DNR has sole statutory authority to investigate and require remediation of soil contamination. No exemption exists for schools, nor is there any statutory basis for deferring to other agencies that lack jurisdiction over soil. Yet, unlike many similar cases where DNR has issued RP letters based on a single exceedance, the agency has declined to act here even though the facts at Golda Meir are stronger than in most cases where RP letters are routinely issued.
In 2020, the DNR partnered with the EPA to secure millions of dollars to remediate lead and other contaminants at a school and neighborhood in Glendale as a preemption. By contrast, at Golda Meir Lower Campus in Milwaukee, where a child has already been lead poisoned and soil contamination exceeded state safety standards, DNR has failed to take comparable action. Not only have they failed to do their due diligence under the law, it took over a month to reply to our initial reporting of soil contamination. This stark disparity raises serious equity concerns. Are the children in wealthier communities afforded greater urgency and protection than those in MPS?
We think not. The state has an obligation under Wis. Stat. §121.02(1)(i) to provide “safe and healthful facilities” for education. Milwaukee students deserve the same urgency and protection as children in any other part of the state.
Lead Safe Schools MKE is asking the following of Wisconsin DNR:
Issue a Responsible Party (RP) letter for Golda Meir immediately to trigger a formal cleanup process.
Ensure transparency by placing the site in the Bureau for Remediation and Redevelopment Tracking System (BRRTS), giving families access to information and a voice in solutions.
Apply consistent standards under the NR 700 rules across all Wisconsin schools.
Protect children long-term by requiring ongoing monitoring and safeguards.
Every day of delay means more children are being exposed to a potent neurotoxin. The statutes are clear, the science is clear, and the risks to children could not be higher. The DNR must act with urgency and we call on state leaders and the DNR to fulfill their responsibility and ensure Milwaukee students are no longer exposed to dangerous levels of lead in their school environment.
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Lead-Safe Schools MKE is a group of concerned parents and community members started in January 2025 in response to the growing lead crisis documented in Milwaukee public schools.