Rule-Making Notices (Hearing Notices)

Sawyer   Winter High School, Winter

Shawano   Shawano Community Middle School,

  Room LGI, 1050 S. Union St., Shawano

Sheboygan   Sheboygan Falls High School, Auditorium,       220 Amherst Ave., Sheboygan Falls

Taylor   Taylor County Fairgrounds,

  Multi-purpose Bldg., Medford

Trempealeau   Whitehall City Center, Auditorium,

  36245 Park St., Whitehall

Vernon   Viroqua Middle School, Large Lecture Room,   Blackhawk Drive, Viroqua

Vilas   Plum Lake Community Building,

  Golf Course Rd., Sayner

Walworth   Delavan Darien High School,

  Auditorium, 150 Cummings St., Delavan

Washburn   Agriculture Research Station,

  Hwy. 70E, Spooner

Washington   UW-Washington Co. Campus, Auditorium,       400 University Drive, West Bend

Waukesha   Waukesha County Expo Center, “Arena",       1000 North View Rd., Waukesha

Waupaca   Waupaca High School, Auditorium,

  E2325 King Rd., Waupaca

Waushara   Wautoma High School, Performing Arts Ctr.,   514 S. Cambridge, Wautoma

Winnebago   Oshkosh North High School, Auditorium,       1100 W. Smith, Oshkosh

Wood   Pittsville High School, Auditorium,

  5459 Elementary Avenue., Pittsville

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. Please call Al Phelan at [phone] with specific information on your request at least 10 days before the date of the scheduled hearing.

Written comments on the proposed rule revisions for wildlife may be submitted to Mr. Kurt Thiede, Bureau of Wildlife Management, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Written comments on the proposed rule revisions for fisheries may be submitted to Mr. Pat Schmalz, Bureau of Fisheries Management and Habitat Protection, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Written comments shall be postmarked no later than April 9, 2002. Written comments will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the hearings. Written comments will NOT, however, be counted as spring hearing votes.

Fiscal Estimate

It is not expected that these changes will result in a fiscal impact.

A copy of the proposed rule and fiscal estimates may be obtained from Mr. Al Phelan, Bureau of Legal Services, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707 or by calling [phone].

Notice of Hearings

Natural Resources
Environmental Protection - General & WPDES
[CR 02-019]

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to chs. 281 and 283, Stats., interpreting ss. 283.15 and 283.31, Stats., the Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on the creation of s. NR 106.145 and revisions to chs. NR 211 and 219, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to regulating mercury in wastewater discharge permits. The proposed rule adds a new high-sensitivity analytical method to ch. NR 219 that allows mercury to be accurately measured in surface waters and wastewater effluents. Proposed s. NR 106.145 makes a finding that wastewater treatment technology for mercury is impractical and requires wastewater permittees to implement pollution prevention programs in exchange for water quality standards variances. Proposed s. NR 211.41 requires municipal entities to impose source reduction measures on users of their sewer systems.

Additional information can be found by visiting the Department Internet page at:
ww.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/wm/ww/index.htm which is the Department's WPDES permits web site, and then clicking on “Mercury in Wastewater Strategy".

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that pursuant to s. 227.114, Stats., it is not anticipated that the proposed rule will have an economic impact on small businesses.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the Department has made a preliminary determination that this action does not involve significant adverse environmental effects and does not need an environmental analysis under ch. NR 150, Wis. Adm. Code. However, based on the comments received, the Department may prepare an environmental analysis before proceeding with the proposal. This environmental review document would summarize the Department's consideration of the impacts of the proposal and reasonable alternatives.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the hearing will be held on:

March 13, 2002   Room 611B, GEF #2,

Wednesday     101 South Webster St., Madison

at 10:00 a.m.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. Please call Tom Mugan at [phone] with specific information on your request at least 10 days before the date of the scheduled hearing.

Fiscal Estimate

The Department anticipates no fiscal impact to the state or local governments. The Department has been working with the regulated community on mercury source reduction for years. These rules provide a more systematic means of accomplishing for mercury the intent of rules aimed at limiting the release of toxic pollutants to waters of the state, and are not expected to increase the Department's workload.

Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted to Mr. Thomas Mugan, Bureau of Watershed Management, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707 no later than March 20, 2002. Written comments will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the hearings. A copy of the proposed rule and fiscal estimate may be obtained from Mr. Mugan.

Notice of Hearings

Natural Resources
Environmental Protection - Water Regulation
[CR 02-015]

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to chs. 23, 30, 31 and 281 and s. 227.11 (2) (a), Stats., interpreting chs. 23, 30, 31 and 281, Stats., the Department of Natural Resources will hold public hearings on the creation of ch. NR 353, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to wetland conservation activities. To encourage wetland conservation and management projects, the department is proposing to create a general permit process for specific activities used in wetland conservation projects. In addition, the proposed rule establishes a process to authorize maintenance activities by owners of existing wetlands.

For projects whose purpose is wetland conservation, the rule identifies certain activities which, if planned and carried out according to Natural Resources Conservation Service national criteria, will be permitted using a simple general permit procedure. Activities not meeting the rule's requirements will be processed using existing permitting procedures. But in all cases, the rule requires staff to weigh the overall benefits of restoring wetlands versus the potential adverse impacts to other aquatic resources or public rights. The rule also creates a procedure to approve maintenance of preexisting wetland conservation projects.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that pursuant to 227.11 (2) and 281.36, Stats., interpreting s. 281.36 (4) to (6), Stats., the Department of Natural Resources will hold public hearings on revisions to ch. NR 299 and 300 and the creation of chs. NR 351 and 352, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to permit and water quality certification time limits, exempt activities in nonfederal wetlands and the identification and delineation of nonfederal wetlands. The proposed revisions to chs. NR 299 and 300 consolidate water regulation permit and water quality certification time limits into one code, ch. NR 300. Currently there are differing time limits for similar actions.

Proposed ch. NR 351 identifies all federal laws, interpretations of federal law, guidance documents and Memorandum of Agreements or Memorandums of Understanding between federal agencies relative to the exemptions of certain activities from regulatory requirements of the Clean Water Act for the purpose of making the exemptions under s. 281.36 (4) and (5), Stats., consistent with existing federal law.

Proposed ch. NR 352 incorporates the use of the 1987 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wetland delineation manual and federal interpretations and guidance documents into the Wis. Adm. Code for use in nonfederal wetlands.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the Department has made a preliminary determination that this action does not involve significant adverse environmental effects and does not need an environmental analysis under ch. NR 150, Wis. Adm. Code. However, based on the comments received, the Department may prepare an environmental analysis before proceeding with the proposal. This environmental review document would summarize the Department's consideration of the impacts of the proposal and reasonable alternatives.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the hearings will be held on:

March 12, 2002   Room 027, GEF #2,

Tuesday     101 South Webster, Madison

    at 2:00 p.m.

March 13, 2002   Conference Rooms A & B,

Wednesday     Oshkosh Public Library,

    106 Washington Ave.,

    Oshkosh

    at 5:00 p.m.

March 14, 2002   Conference Room,

Thursday     DNR West Central Region Hdqrs.,

    1300 W. Clairemont,  

    Eau Claire           at 5:00 p.m.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. Please call Scott Hausmann at [phone] with specific information on your request at least 10 days before the date of the scheduled hearing.

Fiscal Estimate

The Department expects no fiscal impact to state or local governments associated with these rule changes. The duties associated with these rules are already performed by Department staff.

Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted to Mr. Scott Hausmann, Bureau of Fisheries Management and Habitat Protection, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707 no later than March 22, 2002. Written comments will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the hearings. A copy of the proposed rule and fiscal estimate may be obtained from Mr. Hausmann.

Notice of Hearing

Natural Resources
Environmental Protection-Air Pollution Control
[CR 02-012]

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to ss. 227.11 (2) (a), 285.11 and 285.78, Stats., interpreting s. 285.11 (6), Stats., the Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on the creation of ch. NR 437 and revisions to ch. NR 484, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to the establishment and operation of a voluntary multi-pollutant emission reduction registry. Proposed ch. NR 437 specifies which greenhouse gases and air contaminants are included, which entities are eligible to participate, how baselines are determined, how emission reductions are quantified, and how to register reductions. The proposed rule will also incorporate by reference a number of new documents in ch. NR 484.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that pursuant to s. 227.114, Stats., it is not anticipated that the proposed rule will have an economic impact on small businesses.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the Department has made a preliminary determination that this action does not involve significant adverse environmental effects and does not need an environmental analysis under ch. NR 150, Wis. Adm. Code. However, based on the comments received, the Department may prepare an environmental analysis before proceeding with the proposal. This environmental review document would summarize the Department's consideration of the impacts of the proposal and reasonable alternatives.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the hearing will be held on:

March 20, 2002   Room 511 GEF #2,

Wednesday     101 South Webster Street, Madison

    at 10:00 a.m.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. Please call Eric Mosher at [phone] with specific information on your request at least 10 days before the date of the scheduled hearing.

Fiscal Estimate

The emission reduction registry will require a startup period followed by routine operation of the system. Most of the initial cost of establishing the registry will be in developing the database, web page, and application forms. Some programming work will also be necessary to add a registry module to the Consolidated Reporting System.

Estimated startup cost = 1/2 FTE for one year = $30,000 + $5,000 outreach costs + $10,000 programming costs = $45,000.

This cost will be absorbed within the existing Air Program budget through reallocation and redirection of resources involving the existing climate change staff and possible one or more interns.

Estimated costs for ongoing operation of the registry = 1/4 FTE = $15,000 per year.

This cost will also be absorbed within the existing Air Program budget through reallocation of resources.

Assumptions:

1 FTE = $60,000 per year.

Estimated number of registry applications = 10 to 50 per year.

Air Management staff have the knowledge and skills needed to develop the registry database, web page, and application forms.

No outside contractor will need to be hired.

Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted to Mr. Eric Mosher, Bureau of Air Management, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707, no later than March 29, 2002. Written comments will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the hearing.