1999 Wisconsin Act 9

(b) A grant for a management project may be made for up to 75% of the cost of the project but may not exceed $50,000 per grant.

(4) Eligible recipients. (a) All of the following shall be eligible for grants under this section:

1. Local governmental units, as defined in s. 66.299 (1) (a).

2. River management organizations that meet the qualifications under par. (b).

3. Nonprofit conservation organizations, as defined in s. 23.0955 (1).

(b) The department shall promulgate rules to establish the qualifications that a river management organization must meet to qualify for a grant under this section.

(5) Eligible activities. The department shall promulgate rules to do all of the following:

(a) Designate activities that are eligible for grants for planning projects. Eligible activities under the rules for these grants shall include all of the following:

1. Data collection.

2. Assessments of water quality and of fish and aquatic life and their habitat.

3. Assessments of the uses of a river and the uses of the land surrounding the river.

4. Nonpoint source pollution evaluation.

5. Informational or educational programs and materials as specified in par. (b).

6. Programs and materials to assist persons in forming river management organizations or other groups to protect or improve rivers and natural riverine ecosystems.

(b) For purposes of par. (a) 5., specify informational or educational materials that may be provided on any of the following:

1. Protecting or improving the ways in which rivers are used.

2. Protecting or improving the quality of water in rivers.

3. Protecting or improving the quality of natural riverine ecosystems.

4. Protecting or improving fish populations, aquatic life or fish habitat in rivers.

(c) Designate activities that are eligible for grants for management projects. Eligible activities under the rules for these grants shall include all of the following:

1. The purchase of land or of a conservation easement, as defined in s. 700.40 (1) (a) if the recipient enters into a contract under s. 281.71 and if the purchase will substantially contribute to the protection or improvement of the river's water quality or its natural ecosystem.

2. The restoration of in-stream or shoreline habitat.

3. The development of local regulations or ordinances that will protect or improve the river's water quality or its natural ecosystem.

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 protect or improve the river's water quality or its natural ecosystem.

5. Installation of pollution control practices.

(6) Eligibility; types of rivers. The department shall promulgate rules establishing the types of natural riverine ecosystems that are eligible for grants under this section.

(7) Eligibility; other. At the completion of a planning project, upon request of the recipient of the grant for the planning project, the department may approve as eligible activities for a management project grant the recommendations that were made as a result of the project.

9,2551m Section 2551m. 281.72 of the statutes is created to read:

281.72 River protection; contracts with nonprofit organizations. (1) Definition. In this section, "nonprofit conservation organization" means a river management organization that meets the qualifications under s. 281.70 (4) (b) or a nonprofit corporation, a charitable trust or other nonprofit association whose purposes include the protection of rivers and that is described in section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(2) Requirements to receive contracts. The department shall provide contracts to nonstock, nonprofit corporations that are described under section 501 (c) (3) or (4) of the Internal Revenue Code and that are organized in this state. For a nonstock, profit corporation to qualify for a contract, the corporation shall meet all of the following requirements:

(a) The corporation is exempt from taxation under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(b) The corporation provides support to nonprofit conservation organizations.

(c) The corporation has a board of directors that has a majority of members who are representatives of nonprofit conservation organizations.

(d) The corporation contributes, to be used with the contract, $1 for every $3 it receives under the contract.

(3) Requirements under contracts. A corporation receiving a contract under this subsection shall do all of the following:

(a) Assist in the establishment of nonprofit conservation organizations.

(b). Provide technical assistance to nonprofit conservation organizations.

(c) Conduct conferences on topics for which technical assistance is provided under par. (b).

9,2554 Section 2554. 285.01 (40) of the statutes is amended to read:

285.01 (40) "Solid waste" means any garbage, refuse, sludge from a waste treatment plant, water supply treatment plant or air pollution control facility and other discarded or salvageable materials, including solid, liquid, semisolid, or contained gaseous materials resulting from industrial, commercial, mining and agricultural operations, and from community activities, but does not include solids or dissolved material in domestic sewage, or solid or dissolved materials in irrigation return flows or industrial discharges which are point sources subject to permits under ch. 283, or source material, as defined in s. 254.31 (10), special nuclear material, as defined in s. 254.31 (11), or by-product material, as defined in s. 254.31 (3) (1).

9,2554e Section 2554e. 285.11 (18) of the statutes is created to read:

285.11 (18) Adopt and apply objective performance measurements, for the subunit of the department that administers this chapter, relating to the issuance of permits under subch. VII and to overall performance of the subunit.

9,2554f Section 2554f. 285.17 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

285.17 (3) The department may not post on the Internet any information that is required to be reported to the department under this chapter and that relates to a facility's air emissions, including the nature and duration of specific emissions of an air contaminant source and any results of monitoring the emissions of a contaminant source or the ambient air in the vicinity of a contaminant source, unless the department certifies that the information is accurate on the date on which the information is posted.

9,2554j Section 2554j. 285.48 of the statutes is created to read:

285.48 Nitrogen oxide emissions reductions. (1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) "Call" means a call to implement a state implementation plan that is issued by the federal environmental protection agency before the effective date of this paragraph .... [revisor inserts date], or after that date arising out of a call issued before that date, including a call issued after that date pursuant to a federal court order or otherwise.

(b) "Electric cooperative" has the meaning given in s. 76.48 (1g) (c).

(c) "Midcontinent area" has the meaning given in s. 16.958 (1) (e).

(d) "Northwestern county" means Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Iron, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon or Washburn county.

(e) "Other county" means a county that is not a northwestern county.

(f) "Public utility" has the meaning given in s. 196.01 (5).

(g) "State implementation plan" means a state implementation plan for control of atmospheric ozone in another state.

(h) "Summer" means the period beginning on May 1 and ending on September 30 of each year.

(2) Applicability. This section applies if the department of natural resources, pursuant to a call, issues a state implementation plan that requires electric generating facilities in the midcontinent area of this state to comply with nitrogen oxide emission reduction requirements. If the department of natural resources issues such a plan, the department of natural resources shall notify the department of administration and the public service commission. The notice shall specify the date on which electric generating facilities in the midcontinent area of this state are required to comply with the initial nitrogen oxide emission reduction requirements.

(3) Nitrogen oxide emissions standards and limitations. (a) In establishing nitrogen oxide emission reduction requirements for the control of atmospheric ozone in another state pursuant to a call, the department may not, in a state implementation plan, by rule or through the adoption of control strategies, establish nitrogen oxide emissions standards or limitations that do any of the following:

1. Require less than 2,234 tons, or the greater number of tons determined under par. (d) 1., in total nitrogen oxide emissions each summer from all electric generating facilities located in northwestern counties that are owned by electric cooperatives.

2. Require less than 315 tons, or the greater number of tons determined under par. (d) 1., in total nitrogen oxide emissions each summer from all electric generating facilities located in northwestern counties that are owned by public utilities.

3. Require less than 15,157 tons, or the greater number of tons determined under par. (d) 1., in total nitrogen oxide emissions each summer from all electric generating facilities located in other counties owned by public utilities or electric cooperatives.

(b) The department shall issue emissions allowances in a number that is sufficient to allow the emissions specified in par. (a).

(c) The department may not, based on this section, require reductions of nitrogen oxide emissions that are in addition to any reductions required in a state implementation plan from any of the following:

1. Any stationary source located in this state that is not an electric generating facility owned by a public utility or electric cooperative.

2. Any mobile source.

(d) If the department of natural resources implements a state implementation plan specified in sub. (2) in a manner that requires reductions in nitrogen oxide emissions that are lower than the reductions set forth in the call published on October 27, 1998, the department of natural resources shall do each of the following:

1. Determine the amounts by which the number of tons specified in par. (a) 1., 2. and 3. shall be increased to reflect the lower reductions.

2. Take action that is necessary to relax any related emissions control requirements in a manner that reflects the lower reductions.

3. Determine the amount by which the $2,400,000 in assessments under s. 196.86 (2) shall be decreased to reflect the lower reductions and provide notice of the decreased amount to the public service commission.

4. Determine the amount by which the $2,500,000 that is transferred to the air quality improvement fund under s. 16.958 (2) (a) shall be decreased to reflect the lower reductions and provide notice of the decreased amount to the department of administration.

(4) Low-income weatherization and energy conservation measures; renewable energy uses. The department shall ensure that at least 866 tons of total annual reductions in nitrogen oxide emissions required under the state implementation plan are achieved through any of the following:

(a) The use of renewable energy, including renewable energy that is provided by electric providers for the purpose of complying with the requirements of s. 196.378 (2) (a), or renewable energy that is used under programs specified in s. 196.374 (2) (d) that are funded by expenditures under s. 196.374 (3).

(b) The implementation of low-income weatherization and energy conservation measures, including programs established under s. 16.957 (2) (a) or (b) or programs specified in s. 196.374 (2) (a) or (b) that are funded by expenditures under s. 196.374 (3).

285.49 Trading program for nitrogen oxide emissions credits. The department shall establish or authorize air contaminant sources to participate in a market-based trading program for the purchase, sale and transfer of nitrogen oxide emissions credits for use in any state implementation plan under s. 285.11 (6) that requires reductions in nitrogen oxide emissions. To the extent allowed under federal law, the department shall allow nitrogen oxide emissions reductions by any source in this state, regardless of whether the source is subject to nitrogen oxide controls under a state implementation plan, to be purchased, sold or transferred under the trading program.

9,2555n Section 2555n. 285.69 (2) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

285.69 (2) (a) 1. That fees collected in a year before 2002 are based on actual emissions of all regulated pollutants and any other air contaminant specified by the department in the rules in the preceding year.

9,2555q Section 2555q. 285.69 (2) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

285.69 (2) (a) 4. That the fees collected in each year after 1994 and before 2002 are calculated by increasing the fees collected in the preceding year by the percentage by which the consumer price index, as defined in 42 USC 7661a (b) (3) (B) (v), increased in the preceding year.

9,2555s Section 2555s. 285.69 (2) (a) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

285.69 (2) (a) 5. That fees are not based on emissions by an air contaminant source in excess of 4,000 5,000 tons per year of each regulated pollutant, except that, subject to par. (b), this limitation does not apply to a major utility, as defined in s. 285.41 (1) (f), that owns or operates a phase I affected unit as listed in Table A of 42 USC 7651c.

9,2555u Section 2555u. 285.69 (2) (a) 7. to 11. of the statutes are created to read:

285.69 (2) (a) 7. That the fees billed for a stationary source in each year after 2001 are based on the fees billed for the stationary source in 2001.

8. That the fee billed for each stationary source in each year after 2001 is based on the actual emissions of all regulated pollutants, and any other air contaminant specified by the department in the rules, in the preceding 5 years, using a 5-year rolling average.

9. That fees billed in years after 2001 are determined using a performance-based approach that increases a stationary source's fees in proportion to increases in the amount of pollutants emitted by the stationary source, as determined under subd. 8., and decreases a stationary source's fees in proportion to decreases in the amount of pollutants emitted by the stationary source, as determined under subd. 8.

10. That no multiplier or similar mechanism is used that would increase a stationary source's fees to compensate for decreases in overall amounts of emissions.

11. That no provision is used that would increase the fee per unit of pollutant emitted in order to compensate for decreases in overall amounts of emissions.

9,2555w Section 2555w. 285.69 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

285.69 (2) (b) The department may not charge a major utility fees on emissions in excess of 4,000 5,000 tons per year of each regulated pollutant beyond the amount necessary to recover the fees that would have been charged for any phase I affected unit listed in Table A of 42 USC 7651c owned by that major utility if the prohibition in par. (a) 6. did not exist.

9,2556 Section 2556. 285.69 (2) (c) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

285.69 (2) (c) (intro.) The fees collected under par. pars. (a) and (e) shall be credited to the appropriations under s. 20.370 (2) (bg), (3) (bg), (8) (mg) and (9) (mh) for the following:

9,2557c Section 2557c. 285.69 (2) (e) of the statutes is created to read: