Rule-Making Notices (Hearing Notices)

a. Types of small businesses affected: Any business with land enrolled in either the Managed Forest Law or the Forest Crop Law or wishing to enroll land under the Managed Forest Law

b. Description of reporting or bookkeeping procedures required: No procedures not already required.

c. Description of professional skills required: No new skills are required.

The Department's Small Business Regulatory Coordinator may be contacted at [e-mail] or by calling [phone].

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:

April 18, 2007 Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

Rib Mountain Town Hall 3700 N. Mountain Road Wausau

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

Fiscal Effect

This proposed rule change addresses the annual stumpage rate changes used in the calculation of severance and yield tax collections under Forest Cop Law (FCL) and Managed Forest Law (MFL) when timber is harvested from the private lands enrolled in the programs. Other changes proposed include a revision to the qualifications for granting catastrophic loss reductions for yield/severance taxes, revising the stumpage value reduction for fire-caused catastrophic loss, and revising the application and transfer fee to cover recording costs.

There is no net state fiscal effect from the proposed changes.

There is an estimated net increase in local revenues of approximately $16,400 due to the increase in stumpage rates.

The proposed 2008 stumpage rate schedule includes an average 0.32% increase in sawtimber prices and an average 1.53% increase in cordwood prices. The average combined severance and yield tax collection from CY 2002 through CY 2006 was $1,600,000. Of this, about 42% of the gross revenue is from sawtimber harvests. Fifty-eight percent of the revenue was related to cordwood harvests. As a result, a 0.32% increase in sawtimber prices could generate an estimated additional $2,150 in revenues. A 1.53% increase in cordwood prices could result in an estimated increase in revenue of $14,200. The cumulative effect would be a net increase in revenues of $16,350 -- rounded to $16,400.

Estimates are based on the average change in rates across species and zone for each product type (cordwood and sawtimber), the volumes reported and paid for in CY 2005, and the assumption that the volume and the ratio of the cordwood and sawtimber will remain the same.

The net fiscal impact of the stumpage rate changes in this rule change will be an increase of approximately $16,400 to local revenues. Actual impact for a county and municipality will vary by harvests completed and actual species and products harvested.

The proposed rule and fiscal estimate may be reviewed and comments electronically submitted at the following Internet site: http://adminrules.wisconsin.gov. Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted via U.S. mail to Ms. Carol Nielsen, Forest Tax Section, Bureau of Forest Management, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Comments may be submitted until April 27, 2007. Written comments whether submitted electronically or by U.S. mail will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the public hearings. A personal copy of the proposed rule and fiscal estimate may be obtained from Ms. Nielsen.

Notice of Hearing

Natural Resources

(Environmental Protection-Water Supply)

[CR 07-025]

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to ss. 280.11 and 281.17 (8), Stats., interpreting ss. 280.11 and 281.17 (8), Stats., the Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on revisions to ch. NR 809, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to drinking water standards. On January 14, 2002, U.S. EPA published National Drinking Water Regulations for Long-Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment (LT1). These changes impact all public drinking water systems using surface water or groundwater under the direct influence of surface water (GWUDI) and serve fewer than 10,000 people. In order to maintain primacy, Wisconsin must adopt all federal requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA) or have requirements that are equal to or more stringent than the SDWA. The proposed rule will also include revisions to correct minor errors in and updates to the following: the existing interim enhanced surface water treatment rule; the stage 1 disinfection and disinfection byproducts rules; the lead and copper rule; the drinking water public notification rule; the radionuclide rule; and updating analytical methods. Additionally, language is to be clarified with regard to total coliform rule maximum contaminant level determinations impacting systems collecting less than 40 samples per month.

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 since these regulations are already in effect at the federal level. The Department's Small Business Regulatory Coordinator may be contacted at [e-mail] or by calling [phone].

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:

April 11, 2007 Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.	Video conference participation will be available at: Room 138 Eau Claire State Office Building 718 W. Clairemont Avenue Eau Claire
	Room 618 Green Bay State Office Building 200 N. Jefferson Street Green Bay
	Room G11 GEF #2 State Office Building 101 South Webster Street Madison
	Room 98 Milwaukee State Office Building 819 North 6th Street Milwaukee
	Conference Room DNR Northern Region Headquarters 810 W. Maple Street Spooner

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

Fiscal Effect

There is no state or local fiscal impact.

The proposed rule and fiscal estimate may be reviewed and comments electronically submitted at the following Internet site: http://adminrules.wisconsin.gov. Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted via U.S. mail to Ms. Carol McCurry, Bureau of Drinking Water and Groundwater, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Comments may be submitted until April 20, 2007. Written comments whether submitted electronically or by U.S. mail will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the public hearings. A personal copy of the proposed rule and fiscal estimate may be obtained from Ms. McCurry.

Notice of Hearing

Veterans Affairs

[CR 07-022]

The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs announces that a public hearing will be held on the 20th day of April, 2007, at 9:45 a.m., at the Municipal Building, Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, 421 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin on amendments to chapter VA 8, relating to the county veterans service officer grant program.

Analysis Prepared by the Department of Veterans Affairs

Statutory authority: ss. 45.03 (2) and 45.82, Stats.

Statute interpreted: s. 45.82, Stats.

Explanation of agency authority: The legislature has authorized the department to award grants to counties for the improvement of service to veterans residing in the State of Wisconsin. The board of veterans affairs is authorized to promulgate rules necessary to carry out the purposes of chapter 45 of the statutes. An essential element of the county veterans service officer (CVSO) grant program is the establishment of the eligibility criteria for that program.

Related statute or rule: None.

Plain language analysis: The proposed order eliminates references to an obsolete pay schedule that had established a minimum pay level for CVSOs. The pay schedule was initiated in 1989, in an attempt to raise CVSO pay to an acceptable minimal level. The State Office of Employment Relations has repealed the referenced pay schedule. Data establish that the current salaries of CVSOs significantly exceed the current minimum levels. In fact, 43 out of 72 counties exceed the applicable pay schedule maximums. In consultation with the CVSO Association and the CVSO Advisory Council, the department determined that the obsolete pay schedule is not necessary nor is a new pay schedule required to assure the maintenance of the current CVSO salary structure.

Summary of, and comparison with, existing or proposed federal regulations: There are no current or pending federal regulations that address this issue.

Comparison with rules in adjacent states: There are no similar rules in adjacent states.

Summary of factual data and analytical methodologies: The department reviewed salary data from each county over the last several years. As indicated above, the analysis establishes that the salary levels significantly exceed the applicable pay schedule minimums.

Analysis and supporting documents used to determine the effect on small business or in preparation of an economic impact statement: The department has determined that the repeal of the salary schedule references would have no fiscal impact. Grant amounts are determined under a distinct statutory provision. The proposed order has no regulatory aspect to it, has no effect upon small business, nor any fiscal impact upon the private sector.

Effect on small business: None.

Agency Contact

John Rosinski, at [phone] or at [e-mail].

Place where comments are to be submitted and deadline for submission: To the agency contact person at Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, 30 West Mifflin Street, P.O. Box 7843, Madison, WI 53707-7843 or at the above internet address, within 5 days after the public hearing, which is scheduled for April 20, 2007.

Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

The proposed rule has no effect upon small businesses.

Fiscal Estimate

The proposed rule has no fiscal impact. A copy of the full fiscal estimate may be obtained by contacting the agency contact person, John Rosinski, as indicated above.

Text of Rule

SECTION 1. VA 8.01 is repealed.

SECTION 2. VA 8.03 (1) is repealed.