4. Acquire a property for conservation purposes where no other nonprofit conservation organization exists that is willing to assist or capable of effectively assisting in the transfer of the property or that can adequately manage the property after it is acquired.
5. For each fiscal year, prepare a report detailing the activities for which a grant under this section was expended, describing any property acquired by the corporation and explaining how the acquisition of that property furthers the goal of conservation in the state. Copies of the report shall be submitted to the department and to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2).
SECTION 665rh. 23.0955 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
23.0955 (3) (a) During the period beginning on January 1, 2004, and ending on July 1, 2004, the department shall submit a comprehensive report describing the cost of, and accomplishments achieved by, activities funded with grants under this section, commencing with the grants provided in the 1999-2000 fiscal year. The report shall evaluate all of the following:
1. How grants under this section have furthered the goal of encouraging private resource conservation.
2. The extent to which grants under this section complement the resource conservation goals of the department.
(b) The report shall contain a recommendation to the legislature on whether the grant program under this section should be continued, eliminated or revised.
(c) The report shall be distributed to the speaker of the assembly and the president of the senate under s. 13.172 (3).
SECTION 665ri. 23.0956 of the statutes is created to read:
23.0956 Assistance for private conservation activities. (1) From the appropriation under s. 20.370 (5) (aw), the department shall provide one grant of $85,000 in each fiscal year, beginning with fiscal year 2000-01, to a nonstock, nonprofit corporation that is described under section 501 (c) (3) or (4) of the Internal Revenue Code and organized in this state if the corporation meets all of the following requirements:
(a) The corporation is exempt from taxation under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(b) The corporation was created to accept and to utilize private contributions made to protect and enhance the state's natural resources.
(2) A corporation receiving a grant under sub. (1) shall use the grant to do all of the following:
(a) Encourage private corporations and other private entities to undertake activities, including the contribution of money, that encourage management and restoration of the state's endangered wild animals, wild plants and natural communities.
(b) Encourage private corporations and other private entities to engage in land management practices that protect and preserve natural resources.
(c) Provide grants to nonprofit and other groups to encourage education, restoration and management activities to enhance the state's natural resources.
SECTION 665rm. 23.0957 of the statutes is created to read:
23.0957 Annual grants to a nonstock, nonprofit corporation; urban land conservation. (1) In this section:
(a) "Local governmental unit" has the meaning given in s. 23.09 (19) (a) 2.
(b) "Interested group" means a community group, nonprofit organization or local governmental unit that is interested in acquiring urban land for urban forestry protection, water resource management, conservation, recreation or other urban open space purposes.
(2) The department shall provide one grant of $75,000 in each fiscal year, beginning with fiscal year 1999-2000, to a nonstock, nonprofit corporation that meets all of the following requirements:
(a) The corporation is organized in this state.
(b) The corporation is described under section 501 (c) (3) or (4) of the Internal Revenue Code and exempt from taxation under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c) The corporation has a board of directors or an advisory council or both with members who represent one or more urban or urbanizing areas and who collectively have an interest or expertise in all of the following:
1. Nonprofit organizations.
2. Business.
3. Social services.
4. Land development.
5. Architecture.
6. Landscape architecture.
7. Conservation.
(d) The corporation contributes $25,000 in funds annually to be used with the grant under this subsection.
(3) A corporation receiving a grant under sub. (2) may use the grant for urban forest protection, water resource enhancement or other urban open space objectives and shall do all of the following with the grant:
(a) Provide to interested groups technical assistance, especially in the areas of urban open space real estate transactions, reclaiming and restoring the natural values of urban parks, urban forests and open space areas, designing and constructing amenities in open space areas, cultivating citizen participation in acquiring, developing and maintaining open space areas and securing public financing for open space areas.
(b) Conduct conferences on the topics listed in par. (a).
(c) Assist community groups, nonprofit organizations and local governmental units in acquiring urban property for open space purposes and in restoring urban property acquired for conservation, recreation and other open space purposes.
(d) For each fiscal year, prepare a report detailing the activities for which a grant under sub. (2) is expended. Copies of the report shall be submitted to the department and to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature, as determined by the speaker of the assembly or the president of the senate.
(4) A corporation receiving a grant under sub. (2) may acquire urban property for conservation, recreation and other open space purposes.
SECTION 665s. 23.096 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 23.096 (1) (intro.) and amended to read:
23.096 (1) (intro.) In this section, "property":
(b) "Property" means land or an interest in land.
SECTION 665t. 23.096 (1) (ag) of the statutes is created to read:
23.096 (1) (ag) "Nonprofit conservation organization" has the meaning given in s. 23.0955 (1).
SECTION 665u. 23.096 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 23.096 (2) (a) and amended to read:
23.096 (2) (a) The department may award grants from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) or (tz) to nonprofit conservation organizations to acquire property for all of the purposes described in ss. 23.09 (2) (d) 1. to 7., 9., 11., 12. and 15., (19) and, (20) and (20m), 23.092, 23.094, 23.17, 23.175, 23.27, 23.29, 23.293, 30.24 and 30.277 (2) (a).
SECTION 665v. 23.096 (2) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
23.096 (2) (b) A grant awarded under this section may not exceed 50% of the acquisition costs of the property.
SECTION 665vm. 23.0962 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
23.0962 (3) (a) In this subsection:
1. "Local governmental unit" means county or town.
2. "Special zoning permission" has the meaning given in s. 59.69 (15) (g).
(b) Notwithstanding s. 18.04 (1) and (2), the building commission may authorize public debt to be contracted, and the department may make a grant from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (5) (cq), for the property known as Black Point Estate only if all of the following apply:
1. A substantially completed application for any necessary special zoning permission for the property has been submitted before December 1, 1999, to the applicable local governmental unit.
2. The necessary special zoning permission, based on the application submitted before December 1, 1999, is granted.
SECTION 665w. 23.098 (1) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
23.098 (1) (c) "Nonprofit conservation organization" has the meaning given in s. 23.0955 (1).
SECTION 665x. 23.098 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
23.098 (2) The department shall establish a program to expend make grants from the appropriation appropriations under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) and (tz) moneys for grants to friends groups and nonprofit conservation organizations for projects for property development activities on department properties. The department may not encumber more than $200,000 $250,000 in each fiscal year for these grants.
SECTION 665y. 23.098 (4) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
23.098 (4) (am) In awarding grants under this section for eligible projects, the department shall establish a system under which the grants are offered to eligible friends groups before being offered to eligible nonprofit conservation organizations.
SECTION 665z. 23.098 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
23.098 (5) Each friends group and nonprofit conservation organization receiving a grant under this section shall provide matching funds that are equal to at least 50% of the estimated cost of the project for which a grant is being provided.
SECTION 671b. 23.175 (3) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
23.175 (3) (b) (intro.) Beginning July 1, 1990, expend Expend an amount from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) or (tz) or both that equals any of the following:
SECTION 671d. 23.175 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:
23.175 (3m) ALLOCATION BETWEEN APPROPRIATIONS. For purposes of sub. (3) (b), the department shall determine how the moneys being expended are to be allocated from the appropriations under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) and (tz). The department may not allocate or expend any moneys from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) before July 1, 2000.
SECTION 671e. 23.175 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
23.175 (4) LIMITS ON SPENDING. Except as provided in s. 23.0915 (2), the department may not expend from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz) more than $1,000,000 under this section for trails and for grants for this purpose under s. 23.096 in each fiscal year. Of this amount, the department may not expend from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz) more than $500,000 under sub. (3) (b) in each fiscal year.
SECTION 671g. 23.175 (4) of the statutes, as affected by 1999 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed and recreated to read:
23.175 (4) LIMIT ON SPENDING. Except as provided in s. 23.0915 (2), the department may not expend from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz) more than $1,000,000 under this section for trails and for grants for this purpose under s. 23.096 in each fiscal year.
SECTION 671h. 23.192 of the statutes is created to read:
23.192 Mead Wildlife Area public interpretive center. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tr), the department shall provide not more than $112,000 for a public interpretive center at the Mead Wildlife Area in Portage, Marathon and Wood counties. Expenditures under this section shall be made in a manner that, for every $2 received by the department from private grants, gifts or bequests for the project, $3 will be expended from the moneys under this section.
SECTION 671m. 23.197 of the statutes is created to read:
23.197 Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship programs; specific projects or activities. (1) ROOT RIVER; MULTIPURPOSE PATHWAY. (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) or (tz) or both, the department shall provide funding to the city of Racine for a multipurpose pathway along the Root River. The amount provided by the department may not exceed the amount that equals the matching contribution for the pathway made by the city of Racine or $750,000, whichever is less.
(b) The department shall determine how the moneys being provided under par. (a) will be allocated between the appropriations under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) and (tz). For purposes of s. 23.0915 (1), moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz) shall be treated as moneys expended for any of the purposes specified under s. 23.0915 (1) (a) to (k) or any combination of those purposes. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated from either or both of the subprograms under s. 23.0917 (3) and (4).
(2) ROCK RIVER; RIVER WALL. (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) or (tz) or both, the department shall provide funding to the city of Fort Atkinson for the restoration of a river wall along the Rock River. The amount provided by the department may not exceed the amount that equals the matching contribution made for the river wall by the city of Fort Atkinson or $96,500, whichever is less. The requirements for matching contributions under s. 30.277 (5) shall apply.
(b) The department shall determine how the moneys being provided under par. (a) will be allocated between the appropriations under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) and (tz). For purposes of s. 23.0915 (1), moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz) shall be treated as moneys expended for urban river grants. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated under the subprogram for property development and local assistance.
(2m) ROCK RIVER; RECREATIONAL CORRIDOR. (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz), the department shall provide funding to the city of Janesville under the urban rivers grant program under s. 30.277 for the Rock River recreational corridor. The amount provided by the department under this paragraph may not exceed that amount that equals the matching contributions made for the corridor by the city of Janesville or $100,000, whichever is less. The requirements for matching contributions under s. 30.277 (5) shall apply.
(b) The funding under par. (a) is in addition to any encumbrance or expenditure approved by the joint committee on finance under s. 23.0915 (4) for the Rock River recreational corridor.
(3) KEYES LAKE; RECREATIONAL AREA. (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) or (tz) or both, the department shall provide the amount necessary for the development of a recreational area on Keyes Lake in Florence County, but the amount may not exceed $125,000.
(b) The department shall determine how the moneys being provided under par. (a) will be allocated between the appropriations under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) and (tz). For purposes of s. 23.0915 (1), moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz) shall be treated as moneys expended for any of the purposes specified under s 23.0915 (1) (a) to (k) or any combination of those purposes. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated from either or both of the subprograms under s. 23.0917 (3) and (4).
(3m) RIB MOUNTAIN STATE PARK. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) or (tz) or both, the department shall provide funding in the amount of $500,000 to rebuild a chalet at Rib Mountain State Park. The department shall determine how the moneys being provided under this subsection will be allocated between the appropriations under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) and (tz). For purposes of s. 23.0915 (1), moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz) shall be treated as moneys expended for general property development. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated under the subprogram for property development and local assistance.
(4) GRANT FOR LAND ACQUISITION AND HABITAT RESTORATION. (a) In this subsection:
1. "Nonprofit organization" means a nonprofit corporation, a charitable trust or other nonprofit association 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. "Land" has the meaning given in s. 23.0917 (1) (d).
(b) From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta), the department may award a single grant of $20,000 to an organization that is not a nonprofit organization but that has entered into an agreement with a nonprofit organization in order to apply for the grant. The grant may be used for land acquisition for conservation or recreation purposes or for habitat restoration or both. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys obligated for this grant shall be treated as moneys obligated under the subprogram for land acquisition.
(c) In order to receive the grant under this section, the nonprofit organization and the other organization who are parties to the agreement specified under par. (b) shall enter into a contract with the department that contains conditions imposed by the department on the use of the grant, on any land acquired with moneys from the grant and on any transfer to a 3rd party of any such acquired land.
(d) Title to the land acquired with moneys from the grant under this section shall vest in the nonprofit organization. If the nonprofit organization or the other organization violates any essential provision of the contract entered into under par. (c), title to the land shall vest in the state.
(6) SHEBOYGAN; RIVERFRONT PARK. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz), the department shall provide $173,763 for the development and expansion of Workers Water Street Riverfront Park in the city of Sheboygan. For purposes of s. 23.0915 (1), moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz) shall be treated as moneys expended for any of the purposes specified under s. 23.0915 (1) (a) to (k) or any combination of those purposes.