>>> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL PRODUCTION.

>>> TORRENTIAL STORMS LEAVE THOUSANDS WITHOUT POWER.

THE E.P.A.

RECOMMENDS TOUGHER STANDARDS FOR FOREVER CHEMICALS IN WATER.

AND A BIPARTISAN FRAMEWORK COULD MEAN NEW LEGISLATION ON GUN CONTROL.

>>> GOOD EVENING.

I'M ZACH SCHULTZ.

TONIGHT ON HERE AND NOW, AN E.R.

TALK TALKS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND.

STRANGE TO THE ENERGY GRID COULD GENERATE EMERGENCIES.

AND ONGOING FORMULA SHORTAGES LEAVE SOME TO THE MILK BANK.

IT'S HERE AND NOW FOR JUNE 17th.

♪ ♪ >>> NO MORE SILENCE END GUN VIOLENCE!

>> SPURRED BY RECENT EVENTS AND CALLS FOR ACTION, A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS EARLIER THIS WEEK RELEASED DETAILS ON A GUN VIOLENCE BILL THAT COULD OVERCOME A REPUBLICAN FILIBUSTER AND BECOME LAW.

ONE CENTERPIECE OF THE COMPROMISE PACKAGE IS A RED FLAG PROVISION THAT WOULD PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR STATES TO PASS THEIR OWN BILLS, CREATING A PROCESS TO TEMPORARILY REMOVE GUNS FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE DECLARED TO BE A THREAT TO THEMSELVES OR OTHERS.

JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT A POTENTIAL RED FLAG LAW IS DR. BRAD BURMEISTER, AN EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR IN GREEN BAY.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> NOW, WISCONSIN DOES NOT HAVE A RED FLAG LAW.

BUT AS AN E.R.

DOCTOR, YOU CAN AND DO INQUIRE ABOUT GUNS IN THE HOUSEHOLD IF YOU BELIEVE SOMEONE IS HAVING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SO WE HAVE A DIVERSE NUMBER OF PATIENTS WHO PRESENT TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.

AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME PATIENTS WHO MIGHT BE STRUGGLING WITH A PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY WHO PROBABLY -- IT IS NOT SAFE FOR THEM TO HAVE A GUN IN THEIR HOME.

NOW, IN WISCONSIN PHYSICIANS DO NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO REMOVE GUNS FROM A HOUSE, SO WE'RE STUCK USING IT AS A RISK STRATIFICATION TOOL TO HELP UNDERSTAND WHAT PATIENTS HAVE A SEF SETTING TO RETURN HO AND WHO NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OR PSYCHIATRIC SETTING TO HELP ENSURE THEIR SAFETY -- >> EMERGENCY DETENTION IS A PROCESS IN WHICH THE LEGAL SYSTEM GETS INVOLVEMENT.

A RED FLAW LAW.

IS THE OPPOSITE.

IT WOULD DETAIN THE GUNS.

DOES ONE OF THEM MAKE MORE SENSE TO YOU?

>> THERE ARE LIKELY DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS FOR BOTH SCENARIO.

CERTAINLY WE KNOW THAT IF SOMEONE WERE ABLE TO RETURN HOME WHO MAY BE LOWER RISK FOR HARMING THEMSELVES OR OTHERS, IF WE CAN ENSURE THERE'S NO FIREARMS IN THEIR HOME, WE MAY BE ABLE TO HELP PRESERVE THE PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES CENTER FOR PATIENTS WHO MIGHT BE AT HIGHER RISK OR MAY NEED MORE INTENSIVE TREATMENT.

YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY HAVING THE ABILITY TO HAVE THE RED FLAG LAW IS SOMETHING THAT OUR MEDICAL SOCIETY -- YOU KNOW, WE REPRESENT OVER 10,000 MEMBERS IN WISCONSIN THROUGH MY -- THROUGH DIVERSE BACKGROUND, BUT WE HAVE CONSENSUS ON THIS MATTER THAT PHYSICIANS THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IN WISCONSIN.

>> FOR EMERGENCY DETENSION, IT OFTEN INVOLVES ASKING THE PATIENT.

HOW MUCH SENSE DOES IT MAKE TO -- TO ASK THE PATIENT THAT?

>> YOU KNOW, THAT IS A FANTASTIC QUESTION.

AND SOMETHING THAT DIFFERENT REGIONS IN WISCONSIN REALLY STRUGGLE WITH.

IN WISCONSIN, WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE IS ABLE TO BE DETAINED, REALLY IS UP TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

IT'S NOT A DECISION THAT'S MADE BY A PHYSICIAN IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OR A COMMONLY PSYCHIATRIST, SOMETHING THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDS TO DECIDE.

YOU KNOW, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT WORK HAND IN HAND VERY OFTEN.

BUT YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE CHALLENGING AND TAKES SOME MED EXPERTISE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT SORT OF CAPACITY SOMEBODY HAS TO APPROPRIATELY RELAY THE INFORMATION OF WHAT THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS IS.

THERE'S SOME PATIENTS THAT MAY NOT BE TRUTHFUL IF THEY'RE SAYING THEY'RE SUICIDAL OR HOMICIDAL.

SO I THINK THAT IS WHAT'S THE HAPPENING PART, IS HOW NUANCED IT IS TO MAKE THAT DECISION, WHO IS SAFE TO BE MEMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY BOTH TO THEMSELVES AND ALSO THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM.

>> NOW, WHENEVER WE HAVE A MASS SHOOTING LIKE THE RECENT EXAMPLES IN BUFFALO OR UVALDE, TEXAS, DEMOCRATS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL TALK ABOUT GUN CONTROL, REPUBLICANS USUALLY TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.

IN IN YOUR PROFESSION, HOW OFTEN DID YOU REAL -- ARE YOU DEALING WITH PATIENTS WHO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AND SHOULD WEB INFLATING THOSE TWO?

>> YOU KNOW, IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WE SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH EITHER SUBSTANCE USE OR MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.

YOU KNOW O A DAILY BASIS.

IT MAKES UP A RELATIVELY HIGH VOLUME COMPARATIVELY OF PATIENTS WHO PRESENT TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THOSE TWO AND -- POSSESS A FIREARM AND MENTAL HEALTH COMMONLY RUN SIDE BY SIDE WITH EACH ANOTHER.

BUT I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY OPPORTUNITIES ON BOTH ENDS OF THAT SPECTRUM TO IMPROVE OUR REGULATION IN THIS COUNTRY BY IMPROVING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENTS, AS WELL AS ALSO IMPROVING WHO EXACTLY WE ALLOW TO POSSESS A FIREARM AND TO WHAT CAPACITY WE ALLOW THAT.

YOU KNOW, A RECENT STUDY INTERESTINGLY SHOWED THAT STATES THAT EXPANDED MEDICAID ACTUALLY HAD IMPROVED RATES OF SUICIDE PRESUMABLY DUE TO INCREASED ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

>> SO ARE YOU HOPEFUL THAT THE NATIONAL DEBATE WILL ACTUALLY LEAD TO SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP YOU IN YOUR JOB OR PREVENT MASS SHOOTINGS?

>> YEAH.

WE ARE VERY OPTIMISTIC AT THIS POINT THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS OR POSSIBLY DECADES, THERE ARE GOOD EARNEST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MEASURES WE CAN TAKE AS A NATION TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO FIREARMS.

YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, AS PHYSICIANS, WE BELIEVE THAT WE DO HAVE THE CONSTITUTION AND WE NEED TO WORK WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THAT DOCUMENT HAS PROVIDED TO THE AMERICAN CITIZENS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S WHAT WE THINK ARE COMMON SENSE APPROACHES TO LIMIT ACCESS TO PEOPLE WHO IT'S VERY LIKELY IS JUST NOT SAFE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT -- TO THAT WEAPON.

>> THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> A DANE COUNTY JUDGE IS REFERRING FORMER SUPREME COURT JUSTICE MICHAEL GABLEMAN TO THE OFFICE OF LAWYER REGULAR LACE FOR, QUOTE, UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR AND INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS HE MADE AT A HEARING LAST WEEK.

LAST FRIDAY WE TOLD YOU JUDGE REMINGTON WAS HOLDING GABLEMAN'S OFFENSE OF SPECIAL COUNCIL IN CONTEMPT FOR VIOLATING THE OPEN RECORDS LAW.

THIS WEEK THE JUDGE ISSUED HIS WRITTEN ORDER, FINING THE OFFICE THE MAXIMUM $2,000 A DAY FOR CONTEMPT BUT ALSO WROTE ABOUT YOU ON GABLE -- HOW GABLEMAN'S ACCESS IN COURT DISCREDITED THE LEGAL PROFESSION.

FRIDAY HE TOOK THE STAND AND HE PROCEEDED TO QUESTION THE JUDGE'S INTEGRITY.

GABLEMAN KEPT CRITICIZING THE JUDGE.

>> YOU KNOW, THIS IS HIS TIME TO TIME, YOU KNOW.

THIS IS HIS -- WHAT PASSES FOR SUCCESS FOR HIM.

>> GABLEMAN WENT ON TO CRITICIZE THE OPPOSING COUNSEL.

REMINGTON'S ORDER INCLUDED A PROFESSIONAL REBUKE OF GABLEMAN, SAYING IN THE END IT WAS READILY APPARENT THAT GABLEMAN INTENDED TO USE HIS APPEARANCE TO DISTRACT FROM SPECIAL COUNSEL'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE COURT'S ORDER AND PERHAPS DISTRACT ATTENTION AWAY.

THE COURT WILL IGNORE THE PERSONAL INSULT.

HOWEVER, I CANNOT IGNORE THE COMMENTS ABOUT A FELLOW LAWYER.

>>> EARLIER THIS WEEK, A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ALLOWED NEW REGULATIONS FOR P FAST CONTAMINATION TO GO INTO EFFECT.

A DAY LATER THE E.P.A.

RELEASED NEW FEDERAL RECOMMENDATIONS ON PFAS THAT SHOW WISCONSIN'S NEW STANDARD IS NOT NEARLY STRONG ENOUGH TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH.

JOINING US IS -- THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

>> GOOD EVENING.

>> WISCONSIN'S NEW STANDARD ON PFAS IS 70 PARTS PER TRILLION FOR DRINKING WATER.

BUT THE NEW STANDARD FOR ONE OF THESE SO-CALLED FOREVER CHEMICALS IS OWN 004 PARTS PER TRILLION.

JUST HOW BIG OF A DIFFERENCE IS THAT?

>> THAT'S QUITE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

SO LET ME BUT PARTS HER TRILLION IN PERSPECTIVE FOR YOU.

-- PER TRILLION IN PERSPECTIVE FOR YOU.

A DROP OR TWO OF WATER IN AN OLYMPIC SIZED POOL.

THAT'S A PART PER TRILLION.

SO WHAT THIS IS SAYING IS THIS CHEMICAL IS -- TOXIN IS ACTUALLY A CHEMICAL, IS VERY DANGEROUS AND VERY, VERY LOW LEVEL -- AT VERY, VERY LOW LEVELS.

>> MANUFACTURERS AND CHEMICAL COMPANIES ARE OPPOSED TO THESE STANDARDS AT ANY LEVEL.

SAYING IT WILL COST TOO MUCH TO COMPLY OR IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE TO REACH THE STANDARDS.

ARE THESE REALISTIC CONCERNS?

>> YES, BER, BUT THE ARENA THE E.P.A.

-- REASON THE E.P.A.

CAME OUT WITH THIS ADVISORY, THIS HAS NO LEGAL IMPLICATIONS.

IT'S AN ADVISORY.

LIKE THE 70 PARTS PER TRILLION WAS AN OLD ADVISORY FROM 2016 THAT WISCONSIN WAS PROPERLY FOLLOWING.

SO WISCONSIN IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY COULD DO.

WHAT BASED ON NEW SCIENCE, THEY HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE 70 WAS FAR TOO HIGH.

AND THEY NEED TO SET LOWER LEVELS.

BUT YES, THE CHALLENGE IS GOING TO BE HOW DO WE REACH THESE LEVELS.

AND THAT'S YET TO BE DETERMINED.

>> NOW, YOUR SPECIALTY IS IN PEDIATRICS.

WHAT DOES EXPOSURE TO THESE CONTAMINANTS DO TO CHILDREN?

>> OKAY.

SPECIFICALLY, OVER TIME, WE'VE LEARNED THAT THE IMPACT OF THESE CHEMICALS ARE THAT IT CAN INTERFERE WITH THE BODY'S NATURAL HORMONES, WHICH ACT IN VERY SMALL LEVELS, TOO.

IT CAN INCREASE CHOLESTEROL LEVELS.

IT CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF CERTAIN CANCERS.

AND IN CHILDREN SOME RECENT STUDIES SHOW IT'S AFFECTING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, TO THE POINT WHERE CHILDREN MAY NOT BE RESPONDING PROPERLY TO SOME VACCINES AND AS FAR AS CHILDREN, IT CAN HAVE EFFECT ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES IN PREGNANCY -- DISABILITIES.

IN PREGNANCY, WOMEN WHO ARE EXPOSED CAN HAVE HIGHER BLOOD PRESSURE AND HAVE LOWER BIRTH WEIGHT CHILDREN.

>> NOW, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES AKRON WISCONSIN THAT HAVE FOUND LEVELS OF PFAS IN THEIR DRINKING WATER.

ARE THEY DOING ENOUGH?

WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE DO IF THEY KNOW THAT IT'S IN FAURES -- IN THEIR FAUCET?

>> MARINOT HAS HAD A PROBLEM THERE AND THE DNR HAS STEPPED UP AND HELD THE FEET OF THE POLLUTERS TO PROVIDE WATER FOR THE PEOPLE IN FRENCH ISLAND, WE ALSO HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE EXPOSED.

BUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS TEST MORE.

WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEM IS AND HOW TO ACT OUT.

BUT THE FIRST THING IS TEST ALL ACROSS THE STATE.

THE CITY HAS TESTED THEIR MUN PAL WELLS AND I -- MUNICIPAL WELLS AND I SUSPECT THEY'RE GOING TO BE TESTING ACROSS THE COUNTRY BEFORE WE ACT.

>> A LAWSUIT AGAINST DANE COUNTY AGAINST THE WISCONSIN DNR BECAUSE OF THESE NEW STANDARDS AND DANE COUNTY IS KNOWN AS ONE OF THE MORE PROGRESSIVE COUNTIES F. THEY'RE SUING, WHAT DOES THAT SAY FOR THE REST OF THE STATE MEETING THE NEW STANDARDS?

>> YOU HIT ON A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION.

WING THAT MANY OF THE COMPANIES -- WE KNOW THAT MANY OF THE COMPANIES WHO HAVE MADE THESE CHEMICALS OVER THE YEARS HAVE MADE QUITE A BIT OF MONEY FROM THE US 0 OF THESE CHEMICAL.

SO I THINK IT SHOULDN'T BE ON THE ONUS OF THE MUNICIPALITIES OR THE TAXPAYERS.

IT SHOULD BE ON THE OWNERS OF THE MANUFACTURERS.

IF YOU MESS IT UP, CLEAN IT UP.

>> THERE'S NEW TYPES OF CHEMICALS THAT ARE PART OF THIS PFAS FAMILY AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE QUITE A BIT HIGHER THAN THE NEW FEDERAL LEVEL.

THE FEDERAL SUGGESTIONS.

WHAT DO BENG ABOUT THEM AND WHAT -- WE KNOW ABOUT THAT THEM AND WHAT SHOULD WE MONITOR THERE?

>> WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT SOME OF THE SUBSTITUTE CHEMICALS ARE THEY DO HAVE PROPERTIES THAT ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONES THAT THEY ARE REPLACING.

AND THAT'S SHOWING UP IN SOME OF THE STUDIES, TOO.

BUT WHAT PEOPLE LISTENING ARE GOING TO SAY, WHAT CAN I DO AS AN INDIVIDUAL.

WHAT DID YOU -- CAN YOU DO AS AN INDIVIDUAL IS TO ASK YOUR MUNICIPALITY TO TEST FOR IT AND THEN WHAT CAN YOU PERSONALLY DO?

USE WATER FILTERS.

WE KNOW FILTERS WORK TEMPORARILY.

BUT YES, WE ARE LOOKING AT A SITUATION THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE MANY MINDS TO COME IN AND HELP US FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE CLEAN THIS UP.

IT'S SOMETHING ELSE.

WE'RE INVOLVED IN CLEANUP.

THAT'S TWO PRONGS.

THE OTHER PART IS WE NEED TO STOP THE FLOW OF THESE CHEMICALS INTO THE ENVIRONMENT.

SO WE NEED TO STOP WHAT I CALL NONESSENTIAL USES OF THESE CHEMICALS.

SO DO WE NEED TO HAVE A FRY PAN THAT'S NONSTICK?

NOT NECESSARILY.

SO THERE ARE SOME NONESSENTIAL USES OF THESE CHEMICALS THAT WE COULD ELIMINATE FROM SOCIETY.

>> THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, DOCTOR.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>> EXTREME WEATHER BLEW THROUGH WISCONSIN THIS WEEK.

HEAT INDEXES HIT TRIPLE DIGITS, CREATING HEAT ADVISORIES TO RESIDENTS IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN.

AND MILWAUKEE IS INVESTIGATING TWO HEAT-RELATED DEATHS.

SEVERE STORMS ALSO WREAKED HAVOC, LEAVING NEARLY 100,000 WITHOUT POWER.

SOME FOR DAYS.

A SPRING REPORT FROM AN ENERGY WATCHDOG GROUP WARNED THE MIT GRID IS AT HIGH RISK OF ENERGY EMERGENCIES AND POSSIBLE BLACKOUTS.

MARISSA SAT DOWN WITH PROFESSOR DISDEMARK TO -- CHRIS DeMARCO TO LEARN MORE.

>> THE GRID IS WARNING ABOUT THE -- THESE HEADLINES ABOUT POTENTIAL BLACKOUTS, IS THAT CREATING AN ALARM -- >> THEIR REPORT IN THIS MAY OF 2022 FLAGGED PARTICULARLY THE NORTH CENTRAL REGION OF THE U.S., THE NORTHERN MIDWEST, AS BEING SHORT ON SUFFICIENT CAPACITY MARGIN.

SO WE ALWAYS LIKE TO BUILD IN SOME MARGIN FOR SOME UNFORESEEN EVENTS.

EQUIPMENT OUTAGES, UNEXPECTED LATE WARM WEATHER, SOME PEAK LEVEL THAT WASN'T FORESEEN AND THOSE MARGINS ARE SLIMMER NOW THAN THE RELIABILITY ORGANIZATIONS WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE.

I WOULD SAY THE -- NERK RAISED THAT ALARM I THINK IN PART JUST FOR ACTION.

AND THE ACTUAL OPERATOR OF THE GRID THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE MIDDLE PART OF THE COUNTRY IS THE MID CONTINENT INDEPENDENT SYSTEM OPERATOR.

THEY ACTUALLY HAD SIGNS OF SOME OF THESE SHORTFALLS EARLIER IN THE SPRING.

AND THEY'VE CERTAINLY BEEN TRYING TO TAKE STEPS, I THINK THE WARNING CERTAINLY LEGITIMATE, CERTAINLY BASED ON REAL DATA.

BUT IN PART, BEING CONSERVATIVE TO SPUR ACTION TO TRY AND AVOID SIGNIFICANT OUTAGES.

>> IS THAT WHY EXPERTS DISAGREE ON THE SEVERITY, BECAUSE THE REPORT IS SAYING THAT IT'S A SOBERING SITUATION.

BUT OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WE REALLY DON'T NEED TO BE THAT CONCERNED?

>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAINLY A MIX OF MOWVATIONS AMONG THE DIFFERENT PLAYERS -- MOTIVATIONS AMONG THE DIFFERENT PLAYERS IN THE GRID.

BUT I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS YOU REALLY ARE TRYING TO PREDICT THINGS THAT ARE INHERITLY RANDOM CHANCE.

WE KNOW THAT INEVITABLY SOME EQUIPMENT WILL FAIL, INEVITABLY WE'LL GET SOME CONDITIONS WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE.

AND HISTORICALLY, WHEN SEVERE BLACKOUTS HAVE HAPPENED, THEY'RE AN ACCUMULATION OF THESE RELATIVELY RARE EVENTS COMING TOGETHER.

SO IT'S A JUDGMENT CALL AND IN HOW YOU WEIGHT THOSE DIFFERENT PROBABILITIES.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS IN CHARGE TAKE A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH AND YOU KNOW, RID REGRID RELIABILITY REMAINS AN IMPORTANT NEED AND I THINK A BACKDROP TO ALL OF THIS THAT FRANKLY THUS FAR HAS NOT PROVEN TO BE AS SIGNIFICANT A CONCERN EARLIER IN THE YEAR, BUT ARE THERE RISKS OF CYBER ATTACKS ON THE GRID SIMULTANEOUS WITH THESE SHALL WE SAY NATURAL EVENTS THAT MIGHT BE STRANGING IT.

>> ARE CYBER ATTACKS LEGITIMATE LARGE CONCERN?

>> I THINK THEY REMAIN A LEGITIMATE CONCERN.

THE EVIDENCE TO THE -- AND IT'S AVAILABLE PUBLICLY, SEEMS TO BE THERE HAVE NOT BEEN THE SCALE OF SIGNIFICANT ATTACKS THAT WORLD EVENTS MIGHT HAVE CAUSED US TO FEAR EARLIER IN THE YEAR.

BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S A SITUATION THAT EVOLVES DAY BY DAY.

>> DOES WISCONSIN HAVE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE PRODUCED AND STORED?

OR ARE WE IMPORTING ENERGY FROM OUTSIDE OF THIS STATE?

>> SO AS A STATE, WE ARE TYPICALLY A NET IMPOTTER AND -- IMPOTTER AND -- IMPORTER AND SEVERAL OF THESE REGIONS THAT BY OPERATE SWITCH, DON'T COINCIDE WITH STATE LINES.

WE'RE PART OF TWO OF THE 10 REGIONS THAT MISSO DIVIDES UP AS OPERATIONAL AREAS FOR THESE CAPACITY ASSESSMENTS.

THEY ARE NET IMPORTERS.

THE GENERAL VIEWPOINT IS THAT'S NOT A BAD THING, PROVIDED THAT'S IMPORT CAPACITY THAT YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY COUNT UPON.

>> HOW MUCH DO THE SOMEWHAT CONTESTED HIGH CAPACITY TRANSMISSION LINES -- HOW DO THOSE PLAY INTO THE ENTIRE ENERGY LANDSCAPE IN WISCONSIN?

>> YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS CAN OFTEN HAVE AN IMPACT OVER A BIG GEOGRAPHIC FOOTPRINT.

BUT IF YOU CAN REACH FURTHER FOR YOUR SOURCES OF ENERGY, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY MOVE OUTSIDE OF A PARTICULAR POCKET OF VERY HOT WEATHER OR STORM CONDITIONS.

SO IT IS ATTRACTIVE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE ENERGY EFFECTIVELY OVER LONG DISTANCES.

BUT IT COMES AT THAT ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF BUILDING TRANSMISSION LINES.

YOU KNOW, LIKE -- MY PERSONAL ORIENTATION AS AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER, I PROBABLY LIKE TRANSMISSION LINES MORE THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON, BUT I RECOGNIZES, YOU KNOW, MANY FOLKS FIND THEM AN ASORE AND WOULD PREFER NOT -- AN EYESORE AND WOULD PREFER THEM NOT CLOSE TO THEIR PROPERTY.

THAT REPRESENTS A SOCIETAL TRADE-OFF WE HAVE TO GRAP WELL IN POLICY.

>> -- GRAPPLE WITH IN POLICY.

>> DOES THE INCREASE IN BATTERY TECHNOLOGY MAKE IT EASIER TO STORE AND POLY HAVE -- TOE LENDL HAVE ENERGY AT HAND WHEN EMERGENCIES HAPPEN?

>> PART OF THE CHALLENGE IN THE POWER GRID, I THINK THE LAY PERSON SORT OF RUFFLE UNDERSTANDS, BUT -- ROUGHLY UNDERSTANDS, BUT IT REALLY IS A SYSTEM IN WHICH SUPPLY HAS TO MATCH DEMAND MOMENT BY MOMENT.

AND THAT PUTS REAL STRESSES ON THE GRID.

EVEN A LITTLE BIT OF RELIEVE IN TIME, HAPPEN -- RELIEF IN TIME, SEVERAL HOURS, CAN BE VERY VALUABLE.

SO I THINK WHAT YOU'LL SEE INCREASINGLY, PARTICULARLY WITH SOLAR RESOURCES, YOU KNOW -- NOT HARD TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY PRODUCE THEIR MAXIMUM OUTPUT MIDDAY.

BUT SINCE WE HUMANS TEND TO FEEL THE ACCUMULATED EFFECT OF HEAT, WE OFTEN TEND TO PUMP UP OUR AIR CONDITIONERS MOST AT THE END OF THE AFTERNOON.

SO YOU DON'T GET AN EXACT COINCIDENCE IN TIME OF WHEN YOU'RE GETTING THE BEST PRODUCTION FROM THE SUN VERSUS WHEN THE SUN IS ROUGHLY SPEAKING DRIVING THE BIGGEST COMPONENT OF CONSUMPTION, AIR-CONDITIONING.

AND IF YOU CAN MOVE THAT A LITTLE BIT, A FEW HOURS IN TIME, YOU CAN DO A GREAT DEAL TO RELIEF STRESS ON THE GRID.

AND AS YOU KNOW -- RELIEVE STRESS ON THE GRID.

AND IN SOME CASES MAY LESSEN THE NEED FOR LONGER DISTANCE TRANSMISSION.

>> PROFESSOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS CONVERSATION.

>> REAL PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU TODAY.

THANK YOU.

>>> THE NATIONAL BABY FORMULA SHORTAGE HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF ATTENTION TO WHAT OTHER OPTIONS REMAIN WHEN THERE'S NO FORMULA ON THE SHELF.

ONE OF THE GROUPS BENEFITING ARE MILK BANKS.

AND JOINING US NOW IS SUSAN, PROGRAMMING IN OF MOTHERS' MILK BANK OF THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES, WHICH SERVES WISCONSIN AND ILLINOIS.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> SO DOES A MILK BANK WORK IN A SIMILAR FASHION TO A BLOOD BANK?

>> YES.

WE'RE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.

SO AS A MILK BANK, WE COLLECT DONOR MILK FROM MOMS WHO HAVE PLENTY TO SPARE.

AND WE BRING IT HERE TO OUR FACILITY IN ELK GROVE VILLAGE.

WE TEST IT.

WE PASTURE YIEWZ IT AND -- PASTEURIZE IT.

AND MOST OF IT GOES TO BABIES IN THE HOSPITALS OR IN MOTHER BABY UNIT.

ABOUT WHEN WE HAVE ENOUGH MILK AND WE DO NOW, WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO PROVIDE MILK FOR PATIENTS AT HOME.

>> SO WHO ARE YOU SERVING AT HOME?

OUTSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, JUST ANYONE WHO'S AWARE AND CAN COME AND GRAB IT OR TOUGH A CRITERIA FOR WHO GETS FIRST DIBS AT THIS?

>> WE HAVE A PRIORITYIZATION -- PRIORITIZATION CRITERIA.

MEDICALLY COMPLEX BABIES HAVE THE MILK FIRST.

WE HAVE A SYSTEM FROM THERE SO THAT HOPEFULLY ALL BABIES HAVE ACCESSES.

AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE MILK FOR PATIENTS AT HOME INCLUDING HEALTHY BABIES.

SO THAT'S FANTASTIC.

BUT PRIMARILY, WHEN WE'RE WORKING WITHOUT PATIENTS, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE BABIES WITH THE COMPLEX MEDICAL NEEDS, SUCH AS BABIES WHO NEED A SPECIALTY FORMULA THAT THEY CAPITAL CURRENTLY FIND.

>> IN THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ATTENTION SO WHY SOME EQUIPMENT AREN'T ABLE TO BRES -- WOMEN AREN'T ABLE TO BREAST-FEED THEIR BABIES.

HOW -- >> THERE'S PLENTY OF REASONS WHY MOMS MY NOTICE BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEIR OWN MILK.

VERY OFTEN IT'S A LACK OF SUPPORT.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO IS TRY TO SUPPORT MOMS TO MEET THEIR OWN GOALS.

AND THAT INCLUDES CONNECTING THEM WITH LOCAL LACTATION RESOURCES.

BUT FOR SO MANY REASONS, SOMETIMES THAT'S JUST NOT AN OPTION.

THERE'S MOMS WHO ARE TAKING MEDICATIONS THAT ARE CONTRA INDICATED.

THERE'S FAMILIES THAT HAVE NO MOTHER THAT IS INVOLVED.

AND THEN THERE'S ALSO SITUATIONS SUCH AS ADOPTION AND SURROGACY OR MATERNAL CANCER.

THERE'S MANY, MANY REASONS WHY HUMAN MILK MAY NOTICE BE AVAILABLE.

SO WE LIKE TO COME IN AND HELP IN THOSE SITUATIONS.

>> I'VE SEEN YOU DESCRIBE THERE'S BOTH HAPPY AND SAD REASONS FOR WHY SOME WOMEN OR WILLING TO DONATE MILK.

CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THOSE?

>> YES.

SO SOME OF THE HAPPY REASONS THAT MOMS ARE ABLE IS BECAUSE THEY JUST HAVE PLENTY.

THEY HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF MILK AND THEY WANT TO SHARE WITH OTHER FAMILIES IN NEED.

BUT SITTING RIGHT HIND ME, THESE BEAUTIFUL STARS ARE HANDPAINTED WITH THE NAMES AND DATES OF BIRTH OF BABIES WHO ARE HONORED ON OUR POPPY ICE DREAM BER RECEIPT MILK DONATION MEMORIAL WALL.

SO THESE ARE ALL FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO DONATE MILK IN HONOR OF A BABY WHO HAS DIED.

SO EACH ONE OF THOSE STARS IS VERY SPECIAL TO US AND I KNOW A LOT OF THOSE FAMILIES PERSONALLY.

AND THOSE MOMS ARE ABSOLUTE HEROES FOR BEING ABLE TO OFFER THEY'RE MILK IN A TIME WHEN THEY'RE HURTING.

SO WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF OUR DONORS, WHETHER IT'S HAPPY CIRCUMSTANCES OR SAD.

WE'RE JUST GRATEFUL FOR EVERYBODY.

>> YOU'VE SEEN -- YOU HAVE A SURPLUS RIGHT NOW.

IS THAT DUE TO AN INCREASE IN BOTH SUPPLY AND DEMAND DISMRP ARE YOU SEEING MORE PEOPLE COME IN AND BE AWARE OF THIS?

>> I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY CALL IT A SURPLUS JUST YET.

BUT THANKFULLY, YES.

WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN DEMAND AND SUPPLY.

SO WHAT WE HAVE MORE PATIENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR MILK.

WE HAVE MORE DONOR MOTHERS WHO ARE COMING FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT MILK TO FAMILIES IN NEED.

>> IN TERMS OF WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO DO TO DONATE, WHAT IS THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE?

>> THAT'S GREAT QUESTION.

WE LIKE TO TO MAKE THE DONOR APPLICATION PROCESS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE.

EVERYTHING IS DIGITAL.

GO TO OUR WEBSITE, MILKBANK WGL.ORG AND FILL OUT OUR OWNER INTEREST FORM.

WE'LL GIVE A DONOR MOM THE QUAL.

WE'LL SEND A WRITTEN APPLICATION THAT CAN BE COMPLETED ONLINE.

WE REACH OUT TO THE MEDICAL PROVIDER FOR CLEARANCE AND WE SEND THE MOM TO A BLOOD DRAW.

ONCE ALL OF THAT'S DONE, WE HAVE A NURSE REVIEW THE APPLICATION.

AND THEN WE CAN APPROVE THAT MOM AS A DONOR.

WE KEEP IN TOUCH WITH OUR DONORS THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THEIR DONATION SO WE KNOW EVERYTHING IS STAY -- STAYING SAFE FOR AS LONG AS THEY'RE DONATING MILK.

>> HOW HOPEFUL ARE YOU THAT THIS INTENTION WILL INCREASE FOR THE LONG-TERM HERE?

>> I'M ACTUALLY REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE UNTIL NOW, EVERYBODY KNEW WHAT A BLOOD BANK WAS.

YOU MENTIONED THEM EARLIER.

BUT NOBODY HAD EVER HEARD OF A MILK BANK AND THAT WAS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST HURDLES, IS GENERAL AWARENESS.

AND NOW PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDING -- ARE STARTING TO UNDERSTAND THAT MILK BANKING IS A THING.

I HOPE THAT GOING FORWARD EVERYONE REMEMBERS THIS IS AN OPTION.

ONCE THE SHELFS ARE FULL AGAIN, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO FORGET ABOUT THE OPTION OF MILK DONATION.

>> SUSAN, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

>> SURE, THANKS SO MUCH.

>>> FOR MORE ON THIS AND OTHER ISSUES FACING WISCONSIN, VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND CLICK ON THE "NEWS" TAB.

>>> A CEREMONY COMMEMORATING THE EMANSLATION OF -- EMANCIPATION OF BLACK PEOPLE ENSLAVED IN THE U.S. WAS HELD TODAY.

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