560.031 (2) If the department determines that financial assistance is required to stimulate an activity that it determines is needed to assist responsible units, as defined in s. 287.01 (9), in the marketing of recovered materials or to develop markets for recovered materials, the department shall request proposals for that activity, unless the department determines that a request for proposals is not an effective means for distributing the financial assistance for that activity.
27,4338g
Section 4338g. 560.031 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
560.031 (3) If the department awards assistance under sub. (1) that results in a loan being made by the recipient to another person, the department may direct that the repayments of the loan's principal and any interest either be repaid to the recipient for use in a revolving loan fund or returned to the department.
27,4338i
Section 4338i. 560.031 (4) of the statutes is created to read:
560.031 (4) (a) The department shall credit any funds received under this subsection to the appropriation under s. 20.143 (1) (L).
(b) The department shall credit to the appropriation under s. 20.143 (1) (L) any funds received under s. 287.46, 1995 stats.
27,4339
Section 4339
. 560.032 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
560.032 (1) (title) Annual allocation Allocation. Annually no later than October 31, the The department, by rule, shall establish under 26 USC 146 and administer a system for the allocation of the volume cap on the issuance of private activity bonds, as defined under 26 USC 141 (a), for the next year, among all municipalities, as defined in s. 67.01 (5), and any corporation formed on behalf of those municipalities, and among this state, the Wisconsin health Health and
educational facilities authority Educational Facilities Authority and the Wisconsin housing Housing and economic development authority Economic Development Authority.
27,4339c
Section 4339c. 560.033 of the statutes is created to read:
560.033 Minority nonprofit organization grant. (1) Definitions. In this section:
(a) “Business incubator" means a facility designed to encourage the growth of new businesses, if at least 2 of the following apply:
1. Space in the facility is rented at a rate lower than the market rate in the community.
2. Shared business services are provided in the facility.
3. Management training and management and technical assistance are available at the facility.
4. Businesses using the facility may obtain financial capital through a direct relationship with at least one financial institution.
(b) “Minority business" has the meaning given in s. 560.036 (1) (e).
(c) “Minority group member" has the meaning given in s. 560.036 (1) (f).
(d) “Nonprofit organization" means an organization that is not a corporation and that is exempt from taxation under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(2) Grant. The department may make a grant of not more than $100,000 from the appropriation under s. 20.143 (1) (fm) to a nonprofit organization, if all of the following apply:
(a) The nonprofit organization owns and operates a business incubator.
(b) The business incubator provides services primarily to minority group members or minority businesses.
(c) The nonprofit organization submits a plan to the department detailing the project and the proposed use of the grant.
(d) If the grant is part of a project that is also funded by contributions from other sources, the nonprofit organization provides the department with the amount of those contributions or pledges for contributions that the nonprofit organization received before the grant is made.
(e) The secretary approves the plan submitted under par. (c) before awarding the grant.
(f) The nonprofit organization agrees to submit to the department, within 90 days after spending the full amount of the grant, a report detailing the actual use of the proceeds of the grant.
(3) Applicability. This section does not apply after June 30, 1999.
27,4340
Section 4340
. 560.036 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
560.036 (2) (a) For the purposes of ss. 16.75 (3m), 16.855 (10m), 16.87 (2), 18.16, 18.64, 18.77, 25.185, 66.911, 119.495 (2), 231.27, 234.65 (6) and 234.85
and 234.35, the department shall establish and periodically update a list of certified minority businesses, minority financial advisers and minority investment firms. Any business, financial adviser or investment firm may apply to the department for certification. For purposes of this paragraph, unless the context otherwise requires, a “business" includes a financial adviser or investment firm.
27,4341c
Section 4341c. 560.037 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
560.037 (3) The department may not make grants under sub. (1) that exceed $80,000 $125,000 in total in any year.
27,4342c
Section 4342c. 560.038 (2) (c) of the statutes is repealed.
27,4342j
Section 4342j. 560.038 (2) (d) of the statutes is repealed.
27,4342m
Section 4342m. 560.038 (3) of the statutes is repealed.
27,4343c
Section 4343c. 560.039 (2) (b) of the statutes is repealed.
27,4343j
Section 4343j. 560.039 (2) (c) of the statutes is repealed.
27,4343m
Section 4343m. 560.039 (3) of the statutes is repealed.
27,4344
Section 4344
. 560.045 of the statutes is amended to read:
560.045 Community development block grant administration. Notwithstanding s. 16.54 (2) (a), from moneys received under a community development block grant, 42 USC 5301 to 5320, the department shall contract with the department of administration for the administration of housing programs, including the housing improvement grant program and the initial rehabilitation grant program. To the extent allowed under federal law or regulation, the department shall give priority in the awarding of grants under the programs to grants for projects related to the redevelopment of brownfields, as defined in s. 560.60 (1v).
27,4346
Section 4346
. 560.06 of the statutes is created to read:
560.06 Memorandum of understanding on use of allocated moneys. The department may provide assistance to a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to organizations and individuals in urban areas. No later than December 30, 1997, the department of commerce shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the department of administration that specifies how the department of commerce may use the moneys allocated under s. 20.143 (1) (c) for providing assistance under this section.
27,4349d
Section 4349d. 560.09 (5) of the statutes is repealed.
27,4351
Section 4351
. 560.13 of the statutes is created to read:
560.13 Brownfields grant program.
(1) In this section:
(a) “Brownfields" means abandoned, idle or underused industrial or commercial facilities or sites, the expansion or redevelopment of which is adversely affected by actual or perceived environmental contamination.
(b) “Brownfields redevelopment" means any work or undertaking by a person, municipality or local development corporation to acquire a brownfields facility or site and to raze, demolish, remove, reconstruct, renovate or rehabilitate the facility or existing buildings, structures or other improvements at the site for the purpose of promoting the use of the facility or site for commercial, industrial or other purposes. “Brownfields redevelopment" does not include construction of new facilities on the site for any purpose other than environmental remediation activities.
(d) “Environmental remediation activities" means investigation, analysis and monitoring of a brownfields facility or site to determine the existence and extent of actual or potential environmental pollution; abating, removing or containing environmental pollution at a brownfields facility or site; or restoring soil or groundwater at a brownfields facility or site.
(e) “Local development corporation" means a nonprofit corporation organized under ch. 181 that does all of the following:
1. Operates within specific geographic boundaries.
2. Promotes economic development within the specific geographic area.
3. Demonstrates a commitment to or experience in the redevelopment of brownfields.
(f) “Municipality" means a city, village, town or county.
(g) “Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation or limited liability company.
(2) (a) Subject to subs. (4) and (5), from the appropriations under s. 20.143 (1) (br) and (qm) the department may make a grant to a person, municipality or local development corporation if all of the following apply:
1. The recipient uses the grant proceeds for brownfields redevelopment or associated environmental remediation activities.
2. All of the following are unknown, cannot be located or are financially unable to pay the cost of brownfields redevelopment or associated environmental remediation activities:
a. The party that caused the portion of the environmental contamination that is the basis for the grant request.
b. Any person who possessed or controlled the environmental contaminant that is the basis for the grant request before the contaminant was released.
3. The recipient contributes to the cost of the project as provided in par. (b).
(b) 1. The contribution required under par. (a) 3. may be in cash or in-kind. Cash contributions may be of private or public funds, excluding funds obtained under the program under s. 560.17 or under any program under subch. V or VII of this chapter. In-kind contributions shall be limited to actual remediation services.
2. For a grant that does not exceed $300,000, the recipient shall be required to contribute not less than 20% of the cost of the project. For a grant that is greater than $300,000 but that does not exceed $700,000, the recipient shall be required to contribute not less than 35% of the cost of the project. For a grant that is greater than $700,000 but that does not exceed $1,250,000, the recipient shall be required to contribute not less than 50% of the cost of the project.
(3) (a) The department shall award grants under this section on the basis of the following criteria:
1. The potential of the project to promote economic development in the area.
2. Whether the project will have a positive effect on the environment.
3. The amount and quality of the recipient's contribution to the project.
4. The innovativeness of the recipient's proposal for remediation and redevelopment.
(b) If possible, when making a determination under par. (a), the department shall accord a 50% weight to the criterion under par. (a) 1., a 25% weight to the criterion under par. (a) 2., a 15% weight to the criterion under par. (a) 3. and a 10% weight to the criterion under par. (a) 4.
(4) (a) From the appropriations under s. 20.143 (1) (br) and (qm) in fiscal year 1997-98, and from the appropriation under s. 20.143 (1) (qm) in fiscal year 1998-99, the department shall award all of the following in each of those fiscal years:
1. A total of $750,000 in grants that do not exceed $300,000.
2. A total of $1,750,000 in grants that are greater than $300,000 but that do not exceed $700,000.
3. A total of $2,500,000 in grants that are greater than $700,000 but that do not exceed $1,250,000.
(b) The department may not award a grant that exceeds $1,250,000.
(c) The department shall award at least 7 grants for projects that are located in municipalities with a population of less than 30,000.
(5) Before the department awards a grant under this section, the department shall consider the recommendations of the department of administration and the department of natural resources.
(6) The department shall promulgate rules that establish criteria, within the guidelines under subs. (2) and (3), for awarding grants under this section, including the circumstances under which grant proceeds may be used for assessment services.
(7) On or before December 31, 1998, and annually thereafter, the department shall submit a report on the effectiveness of the program under this section to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) and to the governor and the department of administration.
27,4352
Section 4352
. 560.135 of the statutes is created to read:
560.135 Mining economic development grants and loans. (1) In this section:
(a) “Area affected by mining" means an area in which all of the following apply:
1. Public and private infrastructure are or were provided to support mining activity.
2. Public funds are or were expended for costs associated with mining activity.
3. Construction of a mine has commenced and economic diversification is necessary to reduce dependence on mining activity for the long-term economic growth and stability of the area.
(b) “Board" means the development finance board.
(c) “Business" has the meaning given in s. 560.60 (2).
(d) “Community-based organization" has the meaning given in s. 560.14 (1) (c).
(e) “Local development corporation" means any of the following:
1. The elected governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state or any business created by the elected governing body.
2. A nonprofit corporation organized under ch. 181 that does all of the following:
a. Operates within specific geographic boundaries.
b. Promotes the economic development within the specific geographic area.
