2017 Wisconsin Act 134

(2) A person shall include all of the following in a bulk sampling plan:

(a) A description and map of the bulk sampling site, including the number of acres in the site, the number of acres of land that will be disturbed, if any, associated with each bulk sampling location, and the locations and types of sampling or studies to be conducted at each bulk sampling location.

(b) A description of the methods to be used for the bulk sampling.

(c) A site-specific plan for controlling surface erosion that conforms to requirements under ss. 281.33 (3) and 283.33 and that identifies how impacts to plant and wildlife habitats will be avoided or minimized to the extent practicable.

(d) A revegetation plan for each area where bulk sampling will be performed that describes how adverse impacts to the environment will be avoided or minimized to the extent practicable and how the site will be revegetated and stabilized and that identifies how adverse impacts to plant and wildlife habitats will be avoided or minimized to the extent practicable.

(e) The estimated time for completing the bulk sampling and revegetation of the bulk sampling locations.

(f) A description of any known adverse environmental impacts that are likely to be caused by the bulk sampling and how those impacts will be avoided or minimized to the extent practicable.

(g) A description of any adverse effects, as defined in s. 44.31 (1), that the bulk sampling might have on any historic property, as defined in s. 44.31 (3), that is a listed property, as defined in s. 44.31 (4), that is on the Wisconsin inventory of historic places, as defined in s. 44.31 (12), or that is on the list of locally designated historic places under s. 44.45; or any scenic or recreational areas; and plans to avoid or minimize those adverse effects to the extent practicable.

(3) The department shall protect as confidential any information, other than effluent data, contained in a bulk sampling plan and in any application for an approval that is required before the bulk sampling may be implemented, upon a showing that the information is entitled to protection as a trade secret, as defined in s. 134.90 (1) (c), and any information relating to the location, quality, or quantity of a nonferrous metallic mineral deposit, to production or sales figures, or to processes or production unique to the applicant or that would tend to adversely affect the competitive position of the applicant if made public.

(4) Within 14 days of receipt of a complete bulk sampling plan under sub. (2), the department shall identify for the applicant, in writing, all approvals that are required before the bulk sampling may be implemented, any waivers, exemptions, or exceptions to those approvals that are potentially available, and any information that the department needs to issue the approvals or to issue a decision on any waiver, exemption, or exception. If no approvals are required, the department shall notify the applicant that no approvals are required and issue a bulk sampling license to the applicant.

(4m) An applicant shall file a revised bulk sampling plan if there are any significant changes to the information provided in the previous bulk sampling plan under sub. (2).

(a) If the revised bulk sampling plan is filed before the department approves or denies any waiver, exemption, or exception under sub. (12), issues any approval under sub. (13) or (14), or issues a bulk sampling license under sub. (14m), within 14 days of receiving the revised bulk sampling plan, the department shall notify the applicant, in writing, of any changes to the information provided to the applicant under sub. (4).

(b) If the revised bulk sampling plan is filed after the department approves or denies any waiver, exemption, or exception under sub. (12), issues any approval under sub. (13) or (14), or issues a bulk sampling license under sub. (14m), within 14 days of receiving the revised bulk sampling plan, the department shall identify for the applicant, in writing, any modifications to existing approvals or additional approvals that the department requires.

(5) If a storm water discharge permit under s. 283.33 (1) (a) or a water quality certification under rules promulgated under subch. II of ch. 281 to implement 33 USC 1341 (a) is required before bulk sampling may be implemented, the person filing the bulk sampling plan may apply for and be issued the permit or certification.

(6) The department shall act on any required construction site erosion control and storm water management approval, notwithstanding any authorization by the department of a local program to administer construction site erosion control and storm water management requirements.

(7) An applicant shall submit all of the following at the same time:

(a) Applications for individual approvals identified under sub. (4) or (4m) (a).

(b) Applications for coverage under general permits or registration permits identified under sub. (4) or (4m) (a).

(c) Applications for waivers, exemptions, or exceptions identified under sub. (4) or (4m) (a).

(d) A bond, as provided in sub. (9).

(8) (a) Notwithstanding any provision in ch. 23, 29, 30, 31, 169, 281, 283, 285, 289, or 291 or in a rule promulgated under those chapters that is applicable to an approval identified under sub. (4) or (4m), the application for any approval, for a waiver, exemption, or exception to an approval, or for a determination that the proposed bulk sampling activity is below the threshold that requires an approval, is considered to be complete on the 30th day after the department receives the application, unless, before that day, the department provides the applicant with written notification that the application is not complete, stating the reason for the determination and describing the specific information necessary to make the application complete.

(b) If the department provides a notice under par. (a), the applicant shall supplement the application by providing the specified information. The application is complete when the applicant provides the information.

(c) If the department determines that the issuance of an approval is contingent upon the issuance of a permit under s. 29.604 (6m), and if the application for the permit under s. 29.604 (6m) is filed with the approval application, the department may not determine that the approval application is incomplete on the basis that the department has not yet issued the permit under s. 29.604 (6m).

(9) (a) A person who intends to engage in bulk sampling shall submit with the bulk sampling plan a bond in the amount of $5,000 that is conditioned on faithful performance of the requirements of this section, that is issued by a surety company licensed to do business in this state, and that provides that the bond may not be canceled by the surety, except after not less than 90 days' notice to the department in writing by registered or certified mail.

(b) If the surety for a bond submitted under par. (a) issues a cancellation notice, the person who filed the bulk sampling plan shall deliver a replacement bond at least 30 days before the expiration of the 90-day notice period. If the person fails to submit a replacement bond, the person may not engage in bulk sampling until the person submits a replacement bond.

(c) If the license of the surety company for a bond submitted under par. (a) is revoked or suspended, the person who filed the bulk sampling plan, within 30 days after receiving written notice from the department, shall deliver a replacement bond. If the person fails to submit a replacement bond, the person may not engage in bulk sampling until the person submits a replacement bond.

(d) The department may require that the amount of the bond submitted under this subsection be increased at any time, if the department determines that it is unlikely that the bond would be adequate to fund the cost to this state of completing the revegetation plan.

(e) The department shall release a bond submitted under this subsection one year after the time for completing the bulk sampling and the revegetation set forth in the bulk sampling plan if the department determines that the person who engaged in bulk sampling has complied with this section.

(10) Notwithstanding any provision in ch. 23, 29, 30, 31, 169, 281, 283, 285, 289, or 291 or a rule promulgated under those chapters applicable to an approval identified under sub. (4) or (4m), the department shall require the bulk sampling activity for which the approval is issued to be conducted at locations that result in the fewest overall adverse environmental impacts.

(11) (a) In determining whether to approve or deny an application for an approval identified under sub. (4) or (4m), the department shall consider the site-specific erosion control plan, the revegetation plan, and any wetland mitigation program.

(b) The department may modify the application for an approval identified under sub. (4) or (4m) in order to meet the requirements applicable to the approval, and, as modified, approve the application.

(12) Notwithstanding any inconsistent period in ch. 23, 29, 30, 31, 169, 281, 283, 285, 289, or 291 or in a rule promulgated under those chapters that is applicable to an approval identified under sub. (4) or (4m), the department shall approve or deny an application within 30 days after the day on which the application is considered to be complete under sub. (8) if any of the following applies:

(a) The application is for a waiver, exemption, or exception to an approval for a bulk sampling activity or for a determination that the proposed bulk sampling activity is below the threshold that requires an approval.

(b) The application is for a determination of eligibility for coverage or authorization to proceed under a general permit or a registration permit.

(13) (a) Notwithstanding any inconsistent period in ch. 23, 29, 30, 31, 169, 281, 283, 285, 289, or 291 or in a rule promulgated under those chapters that is applicable to an approval identified under sub. (4) or (4m), the department shall approve or deny any application for an approval identified under sub. (4) or (4m) to which sub. (12) does not apply within 60 days after the date on which the application is considered to be complete under sub. (8), unless the application is for an individual permit for which federal law requires the opportunity for public comment or the ability to request a public hearing prior to issuance of the approval.

(b) The department shall publish a class 1 notice, under ch. 985, and shall publish notice on the department's Internet site, that describes the availability of information concerning the activity for which an approval described in par. (a) is required, its proposed decision, its draft approval, information or summaries related to the approval, the department's analyses and preliminary determinations relating to the approval, any additional information that a law concerning the approval requires to be made available, and the opportunity to submit written comments within 30 days after the date of the publication of the notice. The date on which the department first publishes the notice on its Internet site shall be considered the date of the publication of the notice required to be published under this paragraph.

(c) In the notice under par. (b), the department shall also specify the date, time, and location of the public informational hearing under par. (e). The department shall send the notice to any person to whom the department is required to give notice of any proposed determination, application, or hearing concerning an approval described in par. (a) under the laws relating to the issuance of the approval and to any person who has requested notice. The department's notice to interested persons under this paragraph may be given through an electronic notification system established by the department.

(d) If there is more than one approval described in par. (a), the department shall issue one notice and coordinate the public comment period for all of the approvals. If possible, the department shall coordinate the notice and the public comment period for an approval that is an individual permit for which federal law requires the opportunity for public comment or the ability to request a public hearing prior to issuance of the approval with notice and the public comment period for the approvals described in par. (a).

(e) The department shall hold a public informational hearing within 30 days after the date of the publication of the notice under par. (b). The department shall hold the public informational hearing in the county where the majority of the proposed bulk sampling site is located. If there is more than one approval described in par. (a), the department shall hold a single public informational hearing covering all of the approvals. If possible, the department shall include consideration of an approval that is an individual permit for which federal law requires the opportunity for public comment or the ability to request a public hearing prior to issuance of the approval in the public informational hearing under this paragraph. The public informational hearing under this paragraph is not a contested case hearing under ch. 227.

(14) (a) If it is not possible to coordinate the public comment period and public informational hearing for an approval that is an individual permit for which federal law requires the opportunity for public comment or the ability to request a public hearing prior to issuance of the approval with the public comment period and public informational hearing under sub. (13), the department shall issue a separate public notice and hold a separate public informational hearing for the approval in accordance with the law governing the approval.

(b) The department shall approve or deny the application for an approval that is an individual permit for which federal law requires the opportunity for public comment or the ability to request a public hearing prior to issuance of the approval within 180 days after the date on which the application is considered to be complete under sub. (8).

(14m) Upon issuing all of the approvals required by the department to engage in bulk sampling under subs. (13) and (14), the department shall issue the applicant a bulk sampling license.

(15) An approval identified under sub. (4) or (4m) or a bulk sampling license is issued upon mailing and is final and effective upon issuance.

(16) The department is not required to prepare an environmental impact statement or an environmental assessment for a bulk sampling license or for an approval required for bulk sampling.

(17) The department may revoke or suspend a bulk sampling license issued under this section if it determines, after a hearing, that the license holder has failed to comply with statutes or rules of the department or with the terms of the license, or has failed to increase bond amounts to adequate levels as specified by the department.

134,17 Section 17. 293.31 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

293.31 (title) Data Preapplication notification; data collection.

134,18 Section 18. 293.31 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

293.31 (1) Any At least 12 months before filing an application for a prospecting permit under s. 293.35 or a mining permit under s. 293.37, a person proposing to engage in a prospecting or mining project shall notify the department in writing of the intention to apply for a prospecting or mining permit. A person who intends to give notice of intent to apply for a prospecting or mining permit may, prior to obtaining, collecting, or generating environmental data intended to be used to support the permit application, submit to the department the methodology that the person intends to use in obtaining, collecting, or generating the data. The department shall review the proposed methodology and shall either inform the person that the proposed methodology will be accepted by the department or provide the person with the methodology that the department requires to be used. The department may assess the person submitting the proposed methodology a fee equal to the department's costs for reviewing the proposed methodology. If a person intending to submit an application for a prospecting or mining permit shall notify the department prior to the collection of obtains, collects, or generates data or information intended to be used to support the a prospecting or mining permit application. Specific environmental data which would be pertinent to a specific prospecting or mining application, but which was obtained or collected or generated prior to the notice of intent to apply for a prospecting or mining permit, shall be submitted in writing to the department together with any substantiating background information which would assist the department in establishing the validity of the data. The department shall review the data and, if it concludes that the benefits of permitting the admission of the data outweigh the policy reasons for excluding it, and if the data is otherwise admissible, inform the person giving the notice of intent to prospect or mine that the data will be accepted by the department. Such exclusion shall not relate to without obtaining department approval of the person's methodology under sub. (4), the department may not exclude any of the data or information that consists of general environmental information such as soil characteristics, hydrologic conditions, and air and water data contained in publications, maps, documents, studies, reports, and similar sources, whether public or private, not prepared by or for the applicant. Such exclusion shall likewise not relate to data which is otherwise admissible that is collected prior to notification under this subsection for purposes of evaluating another site or sites and which is not collected with intent to evade the provisions of this section.

134,19 Section 19. 293.31 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

293.31 (2) Upon receipt of notification under sub. (1), the department shall give public notice of the notification in the same manner as provided under s. 293.43 (3) (2m) (b).

134,20 Section 20. 293.31 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

293.31 (3) The department shall also receive and consider any comments from interested persons received within 45 days after public notice is given under sub. (2) as to the information which they believe should be requested from the person giving notice of intent to apply for a prospecting or mining permit and the information which they believe the department should seek through independent studies. If the department holds a public informational hearing to receive comments from interested persons under this section, the hearing shall be completed within 45 days after public notice is given under sub. (2).

134,21 Section 21. 293.31 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

293.31 (4) After No later than 90 days after the receipt period for receiving and consideration of considering comments from interested persons under sub. (3), the department shall inform the person giving notice of intent to apply for a prospecting or mining permit of the type and quantity of information that it then believes to be needed to support an application, and, where applicable, the methodology to be used in gathering information. The department shall specifically inform the person giving notice of intent to apply for a prospecting or mining permit of the type and quantity of information on the characteristics of groundwater resources in the area in which prospecting or mining is anticipated to occur which the department believes is needed to support an application, including the information that the department believes should be included in the applicant's environmental impact report and the information that the department will need to prepare an environmental impact statement. The department shall also begin informing inform the person giving notice of intent to apply for a prospecting or mining permit as to of the timely application date and other filing requirements for all other approvals, licenses, and permits, so as to facilitate the consideration of all other matters at the hearing on the prospecting or mining permit relating to the proposed prospecting or mining project.

134,22 Section 22. 293.31 (4m) of the statutes is created to read:

293.31 (4m) Before providing the information required under sub. (4), the department shall seek to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the applicant, the U.S. army corps of engineers, and any other federal regulatory agency with responsibilities related to the potential prospecting or mining operation to address sampling methodology and any other issue of mutual concern related to processing an application for a prospecting or mining permit. The memorandum may include an agreement between the department and the applicant relating to timelines, including timelines for the parties to conduct environmental studies and for granting or denying the prospecting or mining permit. The U.S. army corps of engineers, and any other federal agency that is a party to the memorandum, is not required to be a party to any agreement relating to timelines between the department and the applicant.

134,23 Section 23. 293.32 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

293.32 (4) Subchapter VI of ch. 289 does not apply to mining waste disposed of in a mining waste site covered by a mining permit, except that an operator shall pay the fees specified in ss. 289.63 (4), 289.64 (3), and 289.67 (1) (d).

134,24 Section 24. 293.37 (5) of the statutes is created to read:

293.37 (5) If the department requires an applicant for a mining permit to conduct engineering and hydrologic modeling to assess a mining waste site's performance relative to compliance with applicable groundwater quality standards and surface water quality standards, the department may not require the applicant to examine a period longer than the period in which the mining waste site is proposed to operate plus 250 years after closure of the mining waste site.

134,25 Section 25. 293.40 of the statutes is created to read:

293.40 Timeline for review. (1) Subject to subs. (4) and (5), within 180 days after an applicant submits an application for a prospecting or mining permit, an environmental impact report, if required, and any applications for other approvals, licenses, or permits relating to the prospecting or mining operation the department shall review the information submitted and, if necessary, provide comments to the applicant and request additional information from the applicant relating to the proposed prospecting or mining project.

(2) Subject to subs. (4) and (5), if the department requests additional information from an applicant under sub. (1), within 90 days after the applicant provides additional information the department shall review the information submitted and, if necessary, provide comments to the applicant and request additional information from the applicant relating to the proposed prospecting or mining project.

(3) Subject to sub. (5), if the department requests additional information from an applicant under sub. (2), within 180 days after the applicant provides additional information the department shall prepare a draft environmental impact statement, a draft prospecting or mining permit, and draft approvals, licenses, or permits relating to the prospecting or mining operation. If the department requests additional information from an applicant under sub. (1) but not under sub. (2), the department shall prepare these draft documents within 180 days after the expiration of the 90-day period under sub. (2). If the department does not request additional information from an applicant under sub. (1) or sub. (2), the department shall prepare these draft documents within 180 days after the expiration of the 180-day period under sub. (1).

(4) Subject to sub. (5), if before the expiration of the 90-day period under sub. (2) the secretary of the department determines that the applicant has made a substantial modification to the mining or prospecting plan that significantly changes the information necessary to prepare an environmental impact statement or adequately review an application, the department shall notify the applicant of the secretary's determination and request additional information from the applicant. Upon the applicant's submission of additional information, the timeline under this section shall begin again, starting with the period described in sub. (1). A determination by the secretary under this subsection is not subject to administrative or judicial review and may be made only once during an applicant's permitting process.

(5) The department and the applicant may agree to modify all or part of the timeline under this section.

(6) The department may request additional information needed to process a prospecting or mining permit application or any other application for an approval, license, or permit related to the prospecting or mining operation after making requests for additional information under this section, but the department may not delay the application and review process based on another request for additional information.

134,26 Section 26. 293.43 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

293.43 (1) Applicability. This section, and ch. 227 where it is not inconsistent, shall govern all hearings on applications for prospecting or mining permits.

134,27 Section 27. 293.43 (1m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

293.43 (1m) (b) Except as provided in this paragraph section, for all department issued approvals, licenses, and permits relating to prospecting or mining, including solid waste feasibility report approvals and permits related to air and water, to be issued after April 30, 1980, the notice, hearing, and comment provisions, if any, process and the time for issuance of decisions, shall be controlled by this section and ss. 293.45 and 293.49. If an applicant fails to make application for an approval, license or permit for an activity incidental to prospecting or mining in time for notice under this section to be provided, the notice and comment requirements, if any, shall be controlled by the specific statutory provisions with respect to that application. If notice under those specific statutory notice requirements can be given for consideration of the approval, license or permit at the hearing under this section, the application shall be considered at that hearing; otherwise, the specific statutory hearing provisions, if any, with respect to that application shall control. The substantive requirements for the issuance of any approval, permit, or license incidental to prospecting or mining are not affected by the fact that a hearing on the approval, permit, or license is conducted as part of a hearing under this section.

134,28 Section 28. 293.43 (2) of the statutes is repealed.

134,29 Section 29. 293.43 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:

293.43 (2m) Public information and notice. (a) The department shall make available for review in the city, village, or town in which the proposed prospecting or mining site is located, information concerning the proposed prospecting or mining site, including all of the following:

1. The application for the prospecting or mining permit, including the mining plan, reclamation plan, and mining waste site feasibility study and plan of operation.

2. All of the following relating to an approval other than the prospecting or mining permit:

a. The application.

b. A draft approval.

c. Information or summaries relating to the draft approval.

3. The draft environmental impact statement, the environmental impact report, and any additional supporting information used in the department's evaluation of the proposed prospecting or mining.

4. The draft prospecting or mining permit.

5. The department's analyses and preliminary determinations relating to any approval.

(b) Within 30 days after the expiration of the applicable time period under s. 293.40 (3), the department shall distribute a notice that describes the availability of the information under par. (a); the opportunity for written public comment, including an invitation for the submission of written comments by any person within 45 days after the date of the publication of the notice; and the date, time, and location of the public informational hearing and that includes any additional information that a law concerning any approval requires to be provided. The department shall publish the notice as a class 1 notice under ch. 985 and shall publish notice on the department's Internet site. The date on which the department first publishes the notice on its Internet site shall be considered the date of the publication of the notice required to be published under this paragraph. The department shall also send the notice to all of the following:

1. The clerk of any city, village, town, or county with zoning jurisdiction over the proposed prospecting or mining site.

2. The clerk of any city, village, town, or county within whose boundaries any portion of the proposed prospecting or mining site is located.

3. The clerk of any city, village, or town, contiguous to any city, village, or town within whose boundaries any portion of the proposed prospecting or mining site is located.

4. The main public library of each city, village, town, or county with zoning jurisdiction over the proposed mining site or within whose boundaries any portion of the proposed prospecting or mining site is located.

5. Any regional planning commission for the area within which the proposed prospecting or mining site lies.