The 5-year Program Evaluation addresses current and future funding of the program. Over the last 12 years, the Fund has provided more than $15 million to begin investigation and cleanup at 230 dry cleaner facilities. More than 60 of those facilities have completed cleanup and are now closed. The Legislature enacted the recommendations of the 2006 Program Evaluation which included a 1% increase in fees paid by dry cleaners and helped stabilize funding. Dry cleaners are currently paying 2.8% to DERP on gross dry cleaning revenues and are unable to bear any additional fee increases.
Due to the economy and contraction of the dry cleaning industry, the Council projects that there will be shortfall of revenues to cover projected cleanup expenses beginning in mid-FY14. The Council unanimously supports and recommends the following FY13-15 budget initiatives: direct DOR to publish a list of all licensed dry cleaners quarterly; forgive the $6.2 million EIF loan to DERP; undertake a study of alternative funding mechanisms for DERP; and provide statutory authority for DNR to directly expend money from the Fund for immediate and emergency actions at certain dry cleaner facilities.
A729
This proposal allows the dry cleaning industry to build upon the 12 years of success in DERP. Working together, we can sustain family owned businesses and environmental remediation. We can continue to ensure that communities throughout Wisconsin benefit from the economic and environmental advantages of the Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Program.
Sincerely,
Richard W. Klinke, Chair
Governor's Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Council
Referred to committee on Natural Resources.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources
Madison
December 22 2011
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
It's my pleasure to share with you some of the successes we are seeing with Wisconsin's electronics recycling program, E-Cycle Wisconsin. This program, which expands electronics recycling options for Wisconsin households and schools with financial support from electronics manufacturers, is helping create jobs in our state and reducing costs for local taxpayers.
E-Cycle Wisconsin is an example of public-private partnerships at their best. The law sets basic ground rules and minimum standards for a statewide recycling program and then gives electronics collectors, recyclers and manufacturers flexibility to set up an efficient, effective system that fits their business models. Wisconsin-based recyclers have been able to expand their facilities and hire more workers thanks to the increased volume of electronic recovered through E-Cycle Wisconsin. Recyclers registered under the· program have worked with local governments and schools to reduce their electronics recycling costs, saving taxpayers money.
With more than 400 collection sites in 68 of the state's 72 counties, E-Cycle Wisconsin is making it easier for us all to properly recycle the old TVs, computers and VCRs sitting in our basements and closets. During the most recent program year, Wisconsin households and schools recycled more than 35 million pounds of electronics, allowing the metal, plastic and glass to be used in new manufacturing rather than sitting in a landfill. That's about 6.2 pounds per person, one of the highest collection rates in the nation. Enclosed are three documents with more information. Attachment 1 is a brief summary of results from E-Cycle Wisconsin's most recent program year. Attachment 2 is a report required under s.
287.17 (10)(cm), Wis. Stats., regarding how manufacturer recycling targets are set under the program. Attachment 3 is a report on electronics recycling in Wisconsin schools required under
2009 Wisconsin Act 50, the electronics recycling law.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Ann Coakley, director of our Waste and Materials Management Program, at (608) 261-8449.
Sincerely,
Cathy Stepp
Secretary
Referred to committee on Natural Resources.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
Madison
December 22, 2011
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
The State of Wisconsin's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011 is now available. The CAFR is prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) prescribed for state and local governments and has been audited.
In a continuing effort to conserve resources and reduce costs, rather than providing you with a paper version of the CAFR, you may access it on the State of Wisconsin, Department of Administration's website at
http://www.doa.state.wi.us, under the Financial Reporting link. If you would like to receive a paper version of the CAFR, please contact Cindy Simon by telephone at (608) 266-3052 or by email at Cynthia.
Simon@wisconsin.gov.
I am pleased to report that the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the State of Wisconsin for its Fiscal Year 2010 CAFR. The GFOA's Certificate is a prestigious national award recognizing conformance with the highest standards for state and local government financial reports. The State of Wisconsin is again applying for the Certificate, and the 2011 CAFR has been submitted to the GFOA. If you have specific questions regarding the CAFR's contents, please contact me at (608) 266-8158.
Sincerely,
Stephen J. Censky, CPA
State Controller
Referred to committee on Ways and Means.
