281.65(5y)
(5y) If the owner or operator of a critical site installs and maintains best management practices as provided under the priority watershed or priority lake plan, the site is no longer a critical site. The owner or operator may discontinue maintenance of a best management practice for a period during which the owner or operator changes the use of the site if the best management practice is not needed for the changed use.
281.65(6)
(6) The appropriate governmental unit is responsible for local administration and implementation of priority watershed and priority lakes projects and shall:
281.65(6)(a)
(a) Be responsible for coordination and implementation of activities necessary to achieve water quality objectives including the development of a detailed program for implementation.
281.65(6)(b)
(b) Utilize, whenever possible, existing staff or contract with existing governmental agencies to utilize that agency's existing staff to provide various field, administrative, planning and other services.
281.65(6)(d)
(d) Participate in the plan preparation under contract with the department. The department shall determine the specific plan components which will be prepared depending upon the technical, financial and staffing capability of the appropriate governmental unit.
281.65(7)(a)1.1. The owner or operator of a site designated as a critical site in a priority watershed or priority lake plan under
sub. (5m) or in a modification to such a plan under
sub. (5s) may request a review of that designation by filing a written request within 60 days after receiving notice under
sub. (5w) with the land conservation committee of the county in which the site is located or, if the site is located in more than one county, with the land conservation committee of the county in which the largest portion of the site is located.
281.65(7)(a)2.
2. A county land conservation committee receiving a request under
subd. 1. shall provide the owner or operator with a hearing and shall provide reasonable notice of the hearing to the owner or operator, the department and the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection. The county land conservation committee shall conduct the hearing under this subdivision as an informal hearing.
Section 68.11 (2) does not apply to the hearing. The land conservation committee shall hold the hearing in a place convenient to the owner or operator. Within 60 days after the hearing, the department shall, and the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection may, submit a report and recommendation to the land conservation committee concerning the issues at the hearing. The land conservation committee may affirm or reverse the designation of the site as a critical site.
281.65(7)(b)
(b) The owner or operator of a site designated as a critical site in a priority watershed or priority lake plan under
sub. (5m) or in a modification to such a plan under
sub. (5s) or the department of natural resources may obtain a review of the decision of a county land conservation committee under
par. (a) 2. by filing a written request with the land and water conservation board within 60 days after receiving the decision of the county land conservation committee.
281.65(7)(c)
(c) The owner or operator of a site designated as a critical site in a priority watershed or priority lake plan under
sub. (5m) or in a modification to such a plan under
sub. (5s) may request a contested case hearing under
ch. 227 to review the decision of the land and water conservation board under
par. (b) by filing a written request with the department within 60 days after receiving an adverse decision of the land and water conservation board.
281.65(7m)
(7m) The state share of a grant for local administration under this section may not exceed 70% of the cost of the activities for which the grant is provided if the department first provides a grant to fund those activities after June 30, 1998.
281.65(8)
(8) Eligibility for cost-sharing grants under this section shall be determined based on the following:
281.65(8)(a)
(a) Governmental units and individual landowners or operators are eligible for cost-sharing grants.
281.65(8)(b)
(b) Grants may be provided to applicants in priority watershed areas for projects in conformance with approved areawide water quality management plans.
281.65(8)(c)
(c) Grants may be provided to applicants in nonpriority watersheds for projects which are in conformance with areawide water quality management plans and which conform to the purposes specified under
sub. (1).
281.65(8)(cm)
(cm) Grants may be provided to applicants for projects affecting priority lakes if the projects are in conformance with areawide water quality management plans and the purposes specified under
sub. (1).
281.65(8)(d)
(d) Each cost-sharing grant shall be approved by the designated management agency.
281.65(8)(e)
(e) Except as provided in
sub. (8c), grants may only be used for implementing best management practices. Grants for implementing best management practices may only be used for implementing cost-effective best management practices specified under
sub. (4) (e) unless an applicant demonstrates that the use of a cost-effective best management practice will not contribute to water quality improvement or will cause a water body to continue to be impaired as identified to the federal environmental protection agency under
33 USC 1313 (d) (1) (A).
281.65(8)(f)
(f) A cost-sharing grant shall equal the percentage of the cost of implementing the best management practice that is determined by the governmental unit submitting the application under
sub. (4c) (a) and is approved by the board, except as provided under
pars. (gm) and
(jm) and except that a cost-sharing grant may not exceed 70% of the cost of implementing the best management practice.
281.65(8)(gm)
(gm) The governmental unit submitting the application under
sub. (4c) (a) shall exceed the limit under
par. (f) in cases of economic hardship, as defined by the department by rule.
281.65(8)(jm)
(jm) Notwithstanding
par. (f), after cost-sharing grants have been available in a priority watershed or priority lake area for 36 months only a reduced grant, which may not exceed a percentage established by the department by rule of the cost of implementing the best management practice, may be provided to the owner or operator of a site designated as a critical site in a priority watershed plan under
sub. (5m) or in a modification to such a plan under
sub. (5s).
281.65(8)(k)
(k) A minimum of 70% of the total amount of cost-sharing grants available annually under this section shall be utilized for implementing best management practices in priority watersheds.
281.65(8)(L)
(L) A grant may not be made to an individual if the department receives a certification under
s. 49.855 (7) that the individual is delinquent in child support or maintenance payments or owes past support, medical expenses or birth expenses.
281.65(8)(m)
(m) The department may recognize the value of a conservation easement created under
s. 700.40 (2) and donated to the department, or to any person approved by the department, as constituting all or a portion of the landowner's or operator's share of a cost-sharing grant as determined under
par. (f).
281.65(8)(n)
(n) The department shall identify by rule the types of cost-shared practices and the minimum grant amounts for cost-sharing grants that require any subsequent owner of the property to maintain the cost-shared practice for the life of the cost-shared practice, as determined by the department.
281.65(8)(o)
(o) The department shall provide grants for animal waste storage facilities in amounts not to exceed an amount specified by the department by rule.
281.65(8)(p)
(p) The department may provide a cost-sharing grant to replace a structure or facility at a new location, rather than to repair or reconstruct the structure or facility, if the relocation reduces water pollution and replacement is cost-effective compared to repairing or reconstructing the structure or facility.
281.65(8b)
(8b) Beginning in 1999, if the department establishes an anticipated cost-share reimbursement amount for a year for a county that receives funding under this section and the county enters into cost-share agreements with landowners or operators that result in reimbursable amounts for the year that exceed the amount established by the department, the county shall provide reimbursement to the landowners or operators in the amount by which the reimbursable amounts exceed the amount established by the department.
281.65(8c)
(8c) The department may distribute a grant to a municipality that is required to control storm water discharges under
33 USC 1342 (p) in a priority watershed or priority lake area for practices, techniques or measures to control storm water discharges if those practices, techniques or measures are identified in the plan under
sub. (4) (g) for the priority watershed or priority lake area.
281.65(8d)
(8d) The department may distribute a grant to the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System for practices, techniques or measures to control storm water discharges on a University of Wisconsin System campus that is located in a municipality that is required to obtain a permit under
s. 283.33 and that is located in a priority watershed area, a priority lake area or an area that is identified as an area of concern by the International Joint Commission, as defined in
s. 281.35 (1) (h), under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
281.65(8e)
(8e) The department may not require a person who received a cost-sharing grant to repay the cost-sharing grant on the basis of a violation of this section, rules promulgated under this section or the grant agreement, if, at the time of the violation, the person who received the grant no longer owns or operates the land for which the department provided the grant. This subsection applies without regard to whether the person received the grant before, on or after May 16, 1992.
281.65(8m)
(8m) If the department determines under
sub. (4) (g) 5. that a county, city, village or town should be required to develop a construction site erosion control ordinance under
s. 59.693,
60.627,
61.354 or
62.234 or a manure storage ordinance under
s. 92.16, that county, city, village or town shall make a commitment to develop and adopt the ordinance as a condition of receiving a grant under this section.
281.65(9)
(9) The department may distribute grants and aids to state agencies, including itself, for administration and implementation of the nonpoint source water pollution abatement program on land under state ownership or control for projects affecting priority lakes or in priority watershed areas. The department may distribute grants and aids to itself for the purchase of easements in priority watershed areas.
281.65(10)
(10) To the greatest extent practicable, the department, the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection and the administering and implementing governmental unit shall encourage and utilize the Wisconsin conservation corps for appropriate projects.
281.65(11)
(11) Notwithstanding
subs. (3) (am) and
(3m), the South Fork of the Hay River is a priority watershed for the period ending on June 30, 2001. Notwithstanding
subs. (2) (a),
(4) (dm),
(e),
(em) and
(g) 4.,
(4m) (b) 3. and
(8) (b) and
(e), the department, in consultation with the local units of government involved with the priority watershed project, shall establish guidelines for the types of nonpoint source water pollution abatement practices to be eligible for cost-sharing grants in the watershed. Notwithstanding
sub. (8) (f), the amount of a cost-sharing grant in the watershed may be based on the amount of pollution reduction achieved rather than on the cost of the practices installed, using guidelines developed by the department, in consultation with the local units of government involved with the priority watershed project. The department and the local governmental staff involved with the priority watershed project shall evaluate the cost effectiveness of the project and the reduction in nonpoint source water pollution associated with the project.
281.65 History
History: 1977 c. 418;
1979 c. 34,
221;
1979 c. 355 s.
241;
1981 c. 20;
1981 c. 346 s.
38;
1983 a. 27;
1983 a. 189 s.
329 (16);
1983 a. 416;
1985 a. 29;
1987 a. 27;
1989 a. 31,
336,
366;
1991 a. 39,
309;
1993 a. 16,
166,
213,
246,
491;
1995 a. 27,
201,
225;
1995 a. 227 s.
428; Stats. 1995 s. 281.65;
1995 a. 404 s.
204;
1997 a. 27,
209,
237.
281.67
281.67
Watershed projects. The department shall assist and advise the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection regarding watershed projects under
16 USC 1001 to
1008.
281.67 History
History: 1981 c. 346;
1995 a. 227 s.
429; Stats. 1995 s. 281.67.
281.68
281.68
Lake management planning grants. 281.68(1)
(1) In this section, "qualified lake association" means a group incorporated under
ch. 181 that meets all of the following conditions:
281.68(1)(a)
(a) Specifies in its articles of incorporation or bylaws that a substantial purpose of its being incorporated is to support the protection or improvement of one or more inland lakes for the benefit of the general public.
281.68(1)(b)
(b) Demonstrates that the substantial purpose of its past actions was to support the protection or improvement of one or more inland lakes for the benefit of the general public.
281.68(1)(c)
(c) Allows to be a member any individual who for at least one month each year resides on or within one mile of an inland lake for which the association was incorporated.
281.68(1)(d)
(d) Allows to be a member any individual who owns real estate on or within one mile of an inland lake for which the association was incorporated.
281.68(1)(e)
(e) Does not have articles of incorporation or bylaws which limit or deny the right of any member or any class of members to vote as permitted under
s. 181.0721 (1).
281.68(1)(f)
(f) Has been in existence for at least one year.
281.68(1)(h)
(h) Requires payment of an annual membership fee of not less than $10 nor more than $25.
281.68(1m)
(1m) The department shall develop and administer a financial assistance program to provide lake management planning grants for projects to provide information on the quality of water in lakes, including mill ponds, in order to improve water quality assessment and planning and aid in the selection of activities to abate pollution of lakes.
281.68(2)
(2) The department may provide a grant of 75% of the cost of a lake management planning project up to a total of $10,000 per grant.
281.68(3)
(3) The department shall promulgate rules for the administration of the lake management planning grant program which shall include all of the following:
281.68(3)(a)
(a) Eligible recipients to consist of nonprofit conservation organizations, as defined in
s. 23.0955 (1), counties, cities, towns, villages, qualified lake associations, town sanitary districts, public inland lake protection and rehabilitation districts and other local governmental units, as defined in
s. 66.299 (1) (a), that are established for the purpose of lake management.
281.68(3)(b)
(b) Eligible activities, which shall include data collection, water quality assessment and nonpoint source pollution evaluation.
281.68(4)
(4) At the completion of a lake management planning project, upon request of the recipient of a grant under this section, the department may approve recommendations made as a result of the project as eligible activities for a lake management grant under
s. 281.69.
281.69
281.69
Lake management and classification grants. 281.69(1)(1)
Types of projects. The department shall develop and administer a financial assistance program to provide grants for the following 3 types of projects:
281.69(1)(a)
(a) Lake management projects that will improve or protect the quality of water in lakes or the natural ecosystems of lakes.
281.69(1)(b)
(b) Lake classification projects that will classify lakes by use and implement protection activities for the lakes based on their classification.
281.69(1)(c)
(c) Lake classification technical assistance projects conducted by nonprofit corporations that will provide educational and technical assistance.
281.69(2)(a)(a) A grant for a lake management project may be made for up to 75% of the cost of the project but may not provide more than $200,000 per grant.
281.69(2)(b)
(b) A grant for a lake classification project may be made for up to 75% of the cost of the project but may not exceed $50,000 per grant.
281.69(2)(c)
(c) A grant for a lake classification technical assistance project may not exceed $200,000.
281.69(3)
(3) Rules for lake management project grants. The department shall promulgate rules to administer and to determine eligibility for grants for lake management projects. The rules shall include all of the following:
281.69(3)(a)
(a) A designation of eligible recipients, which shall include nonprofit conservation organizations, as defined in
s. 23.0955 (1), counties, cities, towns, villages, qualified lake associations, as defined in
s. 281.68 (1), town sanitary districts, public inland lake protection and rehabilitation districts and other local governmental units, as defined in
s. 66.299 (1) (a), that are established for the purpose of lake management.
281.69(3)(b)
(b) A designation of eligible activities, which shall include all of the following:
281.69(3)(b)1.
1. The purchase of land or of a conservation easement, as defined in
s. 700.40 (1) (a), if the eligible recipient enters into a contract under
sub. (4) and if the purchase will substantially contribute to the protection or improvement of a lake's water quality or its natural ecosystem.
281.69(3)(b)2.
2. The restoration of a wetland, as defined in
s. 23.32 (1), if the restoration will protect or improve a lake's water quality or its natural ecosystem.
281.69(3)(b)3.
3. The development of local regulations or ordinances that will protect or improve a lake's water quality or its natural ecosystem.
281.69(3)(b)4.
4. An activity that is approved by the department and that is needed to implement a recommendation made as a result of a plan to improve or protect the quality of water in a lake or the natural ecosystem of a lake.
281.69(4)
(4) Lake management project grants; purchases. 281.69(4)(a)(a) In order to receive a grant for a purchase under
sub. (3) (b) 1., the recipient shall enter into a contract with the department that contains all of the following provisions:
281.69(4)(a)1.
1. Standards for the management of the property to be acquired.
281.69(4)(a)2.
2. A prohibition against using the property to be acquired as security for any debt unless the department approves the incurring of the debt.
281.69(4)(a)3.
3. A prohibition against the property being closed to the public unless the department determines it is necessary to protect wild animals, plants or other natural features.
281.69(4)(a)4.
4. A clause that any subsequent sale or transfer of the property to be acquired is subject to
pars. (b) and
(c).
281.69(4)(b)
(b) The recipient of the grant used for a purchase under
sub. (3) (b) 1. may subsequently sell or transfer the acquired property to a 3rd party other than a creditor of the recipient if all of the following apply:
281.69(4)(b)1.
1. The department approves the subsequent sale or transfer.
281.69(4)(b)2.
2. The party to whom the property is sold or transferred enters into a new contract with the department that contains the provisions under
par. (a).
281.69(4)(c)
(c) The recipient of the grant used for a purchase under
sub. (3) (b) 1. may subsequently sell or transfer the acquired property to satisfy a debt or other obligation if the department approves the sale or transfer.
281.69(4)(d)
(d) If the recipient violates any essential provision of the contract, title to the acquired property shall vest in the state.
281.69(4)(e)
(e) The instrument conveying the property to the recipient shall state the interest of the state under
par. (d). The contract entered into under
par. (a) and the instrument of conveyance shall be recorded in the office of the register of deeds of each county in which the property is located.
281.69(5)
(5) Lake classification project grants. 281.69(5)(a)(a) The department shall promulgate rules to administer and to determine eligibility for grants for lake classification projects.
281.69(5)(b)
(b) The rules under
par. (a) shall include guidelines to be used for lake classification. The guidelines shall require that certain factors be used in classifying each lake by use. The factors shall include all of the following:
