16.957(2)(b)2. 2. For each fiscal year after fiscal year 2003-04, determine whether to continue, discontinue or reduce any of the programs established under subd. 1. and determine the total amount necessary to fund the programs that the department determines to continue or reduce under this subdivision. The department shall notify the commission if the department determines under this subdivision to reduce funding by an amount that is greater than the portion of the public benefits fee specified in sub. (4) (c) 2. The notice shall specify the portion of the reduction that exceeds the amount of public benefits fees specified in sub. (4) (c) 2.
16.957(2)(c) (c) Rules. Promulgate rules establishing all of the following:
16.957(2)(c)1. 1. Eligibility requirements for low-income assistance under programs established under par. (a). The rules shall prohibit a person who receives low-income assistance from a municipal utility or retail electric cooperative under a program specified in sub. (5) (d) 2. b. or 3. a. from receiving low-income assistance under programs established under par. (a).
16.957(2)(c)2. 2. Requirements and procedures for applications for grants awarded under programs established under par. (a) or (b) 1.
16.957(2)(c)2m. 2m. Criteria for the selection of proposals by a corporation specified in sub. (3) (b).
16.957(2)(c)2n. 2n. Criteria for making the determination under par. (b) 2. Rules promulgated under this subdivision shall require the department to determine whether the need for a program established under par. (b) 1. is satisfied by the private sector market and, if so, whether the program should be discontinued or reduced.
16.957(2)(c)4. 4. Requirements for electric utilities to allow customers to include voluntary contributions to assist in funding a program established under par. (a) or (b) 1. with bill payments for electric service. The rules may require an electric utility to provide a space on an electric bill in which a customer may indicate the amount of a voluntary contribution and the customer's preference regarding whether a contribution should be used for a program established under par. (a) or (b) 1. a. or b. The rules shall establish requirements and procedures for electric utilities to pay to the department any voluntary contributions included with bill payments and to report to the department customer preferences regarding use of the contributions. The department shall deposit all contributions received under this paragraph in the utility public benefits fund.
16.957(2)(c)5. 5. A method for estimating total low-income energy bills, average annual income of low-income households and the number of low-income households in a fiscal year for the purpose of determining the amount of low-income need in the fiscal year.
16.957(2)(d) (d) Other duties.
16.957(2)(d)1.1. For each fiscal year after fiscal year 1998-99, determine the low-income need target for that fiscal year.
16.957(2)(d)2. 2. Encourage customers or members to make voluntary contributions to assist in funding the programs established under pars. (a) and (b) 1. The department shall deposit all contributions received under this paragraph in the utility public benefits fund.
16.957(2)(d)3. 3. Deposit all moneys received under sub. (4) (a) or (5) (c) or (d) in the utility public benefits fund.
16.957(2)(d)4. 4. Provide for an annual independent audit and submit an annual report to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) that describes each of the following:
16.957(2)(d)4.a. a. The expenses of the department, other state agencies and grant recipients in administering or participating in the programs under pars. (a) and (b).
16.957(2)(d)4.b. b. The effectiveness of the programs under par. (a) in providing assistance to low-income individuals.
16.957(2)(d)4.c. c. The effectiveness of the programs under par. (b) in reducing demand for electricity and increasing the use of renewable resources owned by customers or members.
16.957(2)(d)4.d. d. Any other issue identified by the department, council, governor, speaker of the assembly or majority leader of the senate.
16.957(3) (3)Contracts.
16.957(3)(a)(a) The department shall, on the basis of competitive bids, contract with community action agencies described in s. 46.30 (2) (a) 1., nonstock, nonprofit corporations organized under ch. 181 or local units of government to provide services under the programs established under sub. (2) (a).
16.957(3)(b) (b) The department shall, on the basis of competitive bids, contract with one or more nonstock, nonprofit corporations organized under ch. 181 to administer the programs established under sub. (2) (b) 1., including soliciting proposals, processing grant applications, selecting, based on criteria specified in rules promulgated under sub. (2) (c) 2m., proposals for the department to make awards and distributing grants to recipients.
16.957(3)(c) (c) In selecting proposals and awarding grants under sub. (2) (b), the department or a nonprofit corporation specified in par. (b) may not discriminate against an electric provider or its affiliate or a wholesale electric supplier or its affiliate solely on the basis of its status as an electric provider, wholesale electric supplier or affiliate.
16.957(4) (4)Electric utilities.
16.957(4)(a)(a) Requirement to charge public benefits fees. Each electric utility, except for a municipal utility, shall charge each customer a public benefits fee in an amount established in rules promulgated by the department under par. (b). An electric utility, except for a municipal utility, shall collect and pay the fees to the department in accordance with the rules promulgated under par. (b). The public benefits fees collected by an electric utility shall be considered trust funds of the department and not income of the electric utility.
16.957(4)(am) (am) Electric bills. An electric utility shall include a public benefits fee in the fixed charges for electricity in a customer's bill and shall provide the customer with an annual statement that identifies the annual charges for public benefits fees and describes the programs for which fees are used.
16.957(4)(b) (b) Rules. In consultation with the council, the department shall promulgate rules that establish the amount of a public benefits fee under par. (a). Fees established in rules under this paragraph may vary by class of customer, but shall be uniform within each class, and shall satisfy each of the following:
16.957(4)(b)1. 1. The fees may not be based on the kilowatt-hour consumption of electricity by customers.
16.957(4)(b)2. 2. Seventy percent of the total amount of fees charged by an electric provider may be charged to residential customers and 30% of the total may be charged to nonresidential customers.
16.957(4)(b)3. 3. The fees shall allow an electric provider to recover the reasonable and prudent expenses incurred by the electric provider in complying with this section.
16.957(4)(c) (c) Amount of public benefits fees. A fee established in rules promulgated under par. (b) shall satisfy each of the following:
16.957(4)(c)1. 1. `Low-income funding.' In fiscal year 1999-2000, a portion of the public benefits fee shall be an amount that, when added to 50% of the estimated public benefits fees charged by municipal utilities and retail electric cooperatives under sub. (5) (a) for that fiscal year, shall equal $24,000,000. In each fiscal year after fiscal year 1999-2000, a portion of the public benefits fee shall be an amount that, when added to the sum of the following shall equal the low-income need target for that fiscal year determined by the department under sub. (2) (d) 1.:
16.957(4)(c)1.a. a. Fifty percent of the estimated public benefits fees charged by municipal utilities and retail electric cooperatives under sub. (5) (a) for that fiscal year.
16.957(4)(c)1.b. b. All moneys received under 42 USC 6861 to 6873 and 42 USC 8621 to 8629 for that fiscal year.
16.957(4)(c)1.c. c. The total amount spent on programs or contributed to the commission by utilities under s. 196.374 (3) for that fiscal year for low-income assistance.
16.957(4)(c)2. 2. `Energy conservation and efficiency and renewable resource funding.' For fiscal year 1999-2000, a portion of the public benefits fee shall be in an amount that, when added to 50% of the estimated public benefits fees charged by municipal utilities and retail electric cooperatives under sub. (5) (a) for that fiscal year, shall equal $20,000,000. In each fiscal year after fiscal year 1999-2000, a portion of the public benefits fee shall be the amount determined under this subdivision for fiscal year 1999-2000, except that if the department determines to reduce or discontinue a program under sub. (2) (b) 2., the department shall reduce the amount accordingly.
16.957(4)(c)3. 3. `Limitation on electric bill increases.' For the period beginning on October 29, 1999, and ending on June 30, 2008, the total increase in a customer's electric bills that is based on the requirement to pay public benefits fees, including any increase resulting from an electric utility's compliance with this section, may not exceed 3% of the total of every other charge for which the customer is billed for that period or $750 per month, whichever is less.
16.957(5) (5)Municipal utilities and retail electric cooperatives.
16.957(5)(a)(a) Requirement to charge public benefits fees. Each retail electric cooperative and municipal utility shall charge a monthly public benefits fee to each customer or member in an amount that is sufficient for the retail electric cooperative or municipal utility to collect an annual average of $16 per meter. A retail electric cooperative or municipal utility may determine the amount that a particular class of customers or members is required to pay under this paragraph and may charge different fees to different classes of customers or members.
16.957(5)(am) (am) Public benefits fee restriction. Notwithstanding par. (a), for the period beginning on October 29, 1999, and ending on June 30, 2008, the total increase in a customer's or member's electric bills that is based on the requirement to pay public benefits fees, including any increase resulting from a retail electric cooperative's or municipal utility's compliance with this section, may not exceed 3% of the total of every other charge for which the member or customer is billed for that period or $750 per month, whichever is less.
16.957(5)(b) (b) Election to contribute to department programs.
16.957(5)(b)1.1. No later than October 1, 2000, each municipal utility or retail electric cooperative shall notify the department whether it has elected to contribute to the programs established under sub. (2) (a) or (b) 1. for a 3-year period.
16.957(5)(b)2. 2. No later than every 3rd year after the date specified in subd. 1., each municipal utility or retail electric cooperative shall notify the department whether it has elected to contribute to the programs established under sub. (2) (a) or (b) 1. for a 3-year period.
16.957(5)(c) (c) Full contribution. If a municipal utility or retail electric cooperative elects under par. (b) 1. or 2. to contribute to the programs established both under sub. (2) (a) and under sub. (2) (b) 1., it shall pay 100% of the public benefits fees that it charges under par. (a) to the department in each fiscal year of the 3-year period for which it has made the election.
16.957(5)(d) (d) Partial contributions and commitment to community spending. A municipal utility or retail electric cooperative not specified in par. (c) shall do one of the following:
16.957(5)(d)1. 1. If the municipal utility or retail electric cooperative elects to contribute only to the programs established under sub. (2) (a), the municipal utility or retail electric cooperative shall, in each fiscal year of the 3-year period for which it elects to contribute under par. (b) 1. or 2., do all of the following:
16.957(5)(d)1.a. a. Pay 50% of the public benefits fees that it charges under par. (a) to the department.
16.957(5)(d)1.b. b. Spend 50% of the public benefits fees that it charges under par. (a) on energy conservation programs.
16.957(5)(d)2. 2. If the municipal utility or retail electric cooperative elects to contribute only to the programs established under sub. (2) (b) 1., the municipal utility or retail electric cooperative shall, in each fiscal year of the 3-year period for which it elects to contribute under par. (b) 1. or 2., do all of the following:
16.957(5)(d)2.a. a. Pay 50% of the public benefits fees that it charges under par. (a) to the department.
16.957(5)(d)2.b. b. Spend 50% of the public benefits fees that it charges under par. (a) on programs for low-income assistance.
16.957(5)(d)3. 3. If the municipal utility or retail electric cooperative elects not to contribute to any of the programs established under sub. (2) (a) or (b) 1., the municipal utility or retail electric cooperative shall, in each fiscal year of the 3-year period for which it elects not to contribute under par. (b) 1. or 2., do all of the following:
16.957(5)(d)3.a. a. Spend 50% of the public benefits fees that it charges under par. (a) on programs for low-income assistance.
16.957(5)(d)3.b. b. Spend 50% of the public benefits fees that it charges under par. (a) on energy conservation programs.
16.957(5)(e) (e) Wholesale supplier credit. If a wholesale supplier has established a program for low-income assistance or an energy conservation program, a municipal utility or retail electric cooperative that is a customer or member of the wholesale supplier may do any of the following:
16.957(5)(e)1. 1. Include an amount equal to the product of the municipal utility's or retail electric cooperative's wholesale supply percentage and the amount that the wholesale supplier has spent on low-income assistance in a fiscal year in calculating the amount that the municipal utility or retail electric cooperative has spent on low-income assistance in that fiscal year under par. (d) 2. b. or 3. a.
16.957(5)(e)2. 2. Include an amount equal to the product of the municipal utility's or retail electric cooperative's wholesale supply percentage and the amount that the wholesale supplier has spent on energy conservation programs or customer applications of renewable resources in a fiscal year in calculating the amount that the municipal utility or retail electric cooperative has spent on energy conservation programs under par. (d) 1. b. or 3. b.
16.957(5)(f) (f) Joint programs. Municipal utilities or retail electric cooperatives may establish joint commitment to community programs, except that each municipal utility or retail electric cooperative that participates in a joint program is required to comply with the spending requirements under par. (d).
16.957(5)(g) (g) Reports.
16.957(5)(g)1.1. For each fiscal year, each municipal utility and retail electric cooperative that does not pay 100% of the public benefits fee that it charges under par. (a) to the department under par. (c) shall file a report with the department that describes each of the following:
16.957(5)(g)1.a. a. An accounting of public benefits fees charged to customers or members under par. (a) in the fiscal year and expenditures on commitment to community programs under par. (d), including any amounts included in the municipal utility's or retail electric cooperative's calculations under par. (e).
16.957(5)(g)1.b. b. A description of commitment to community programs established by the municipal utility or retail electric cooperative in the fiscal year.
16.957(5)(g)2. 2. The department shall maintain reports filed under subd. 1. for at least 6 years.
16.957 History History: 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 16, 30; 2003 a. 33.
16.957 Cross-reference Cross Reference: See also chs. Adm 43, 44, and 45, Wis. adm. code.
16.958 16.958 Air quality improvement program.
16.958(1) (1) In this section:
16.958(1)(a) (a) "Eligible electric provider" means a generator public utility or a generator electric cooperative that provides electric service to customers or members in the midcontinent area of this state.
16.958(1)(b) (b) "Generator electric cooperative" means an electric cooperative, as defined in s. 76.48 (1g) (c), that generates electricity.
16.958(1)(c) (c) "Generator public utility" means a public utility, as defined in s. 196.01 (5), that generates electricity.
16.958(1)(d) (d) "Initial compliance date" means the date specified in a notice by the department of natural resources under s. 285.48 (2) by which electric generating facilities in the midcontinent area of this state are required to comply with initial nitrogen oxide emission reduction requirements.
16.958(1)(e) (e) "Midcontinent area" means the geographic area served by the Mid-Continent Area Power Pool reliability council of the North American Electric Reliability Council.
16.958(2) (2) If the department of natural resources makes a notification to the department of administration under s. 285.48 (2), the department of administration shall do each of the following:
16.958(2)(a) (a) In each fiscal year of the 10-year period that commences on July 1 of the fiscal year ending before the initial compliance date, transfer $2,500,000, or the lesser amount specified in a notice under s. 285.48 (3) (d) 4., from the utility public benefits fund to the air quality improvement fund.
16.958(2)(b) (b) From the air quality improvement fund, award grants to eligible electric providers to be used for the purpose of complying with requirements under state or federal law to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions in the midcontinent area of this state pursuant to a state implementation plan. An eligible electric provider that is a public utility may receive no more than $500,000 per year in grants under this paragraph.
16.958(2)(c) (c) Promulgate rules for awarding grants under par. (b). The rules shall require an applicant for a grant to identify the reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions that the applicant is capable of achieving with the grant.
16.958(3) (3) An eligible electric provider that is awarded a grant under sub. (2) (b) may assign the grant to a 3rd party if the 3rd party uses the grant for the purpose of reducing nitrogen oxide emissions and the eligible electric provider demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department of administration that the 3rd party is capable of achieving the reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions identified in the eligible electric provider's application for the grant.
16.958 History History: 1999 a. 9.
16.959 16.959 Wind energy. The department shall:
16.959(1) (1) Promote the use of wind energy systems. "Wind energy system" means equipment which converts and then transfers or stores energy from the wind into usable forms of energy.
16.959(2) (2) Gather and disseminate information on wind characteristics and the economic feasibility of using wind energy systems in the state.
16.959(3) (3) Offer assistance to persons interested in installing a wind energy conversion system.
16.959(4) (4) Train University of Wisconsin-Extension staff to assist persons interested in siting wind energy conversion systems.
16.959(5) (5) Publish a list, at intervals not to exceed 6 months, of reputable manufacturers and distributors of wind energy conversion systems in the upper midwest region of the United States.
16.959 History History: 1987 a. 142; 2001 a. 103.
16.96 16.96 Population estimates. The department of administration shall periodically make population estimates and projections. These population determinations shall be deemed to be the official state population estimates and projections. These determinations shall be used for all official estimate and projection purposes, except where otherwise directed by statute, but do not supersede s. 990.01 (29). The department shall:
16.96(1) (1) Annually make estimates of the current number of persons residing in each municipality and county of the state, and periodically make projections of the anticipated future population of the state, counties and municipalities.
16.96(2) (2) Prepare population estimates for purposes of state revenue sharing distribution under ch. 79. For this purpose:
16.96(2)(a) (a) On or before August 10 of each year, the department shall make its preliminary population determinations and shall notify the clerk of each municipality and county of its preliminary population determinations. The reference date for all population determinations for state shared revenue distribution purposes shall be January 1.
16.96(2)(b) (b) Municipalities and counties believing that population determinations under par. (a) are based upon incorrect information may, no later than September 15 of the same year in which the determination is made, challenge the determination by filing their specific objections, and evidence in support thereof, with the department. If the challenge is denied by the department, the municipality or county may appeal the denial, by October 1 of the same year, by notifying the department that the appellant intends to have a special census conducted by the U.S. bureau of the census in support of the appeal under par. (dm).
16.96(2)(c) (c) On or before October 10 of each year, the department shall make any necessary adjustments in its population determinations for the November distribution, and shall notify the clerk of any affected municipality or county of these adjustments. The adjusted population determinations shall be consistent with the methods used statewide for population determinations, and adjustments from the August 10 population determinations shall be made only to accommodate corrected information.
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This is an archival version of the Wis. Stats. database for 2003. See Are the Statutes on this Website Official?