Don Houtman, (608) 224-4625
2811 Agriculture Drive
P.O. Box 8911
Madison, WI 53708-8911
Hearing Information
All locations are handicapped accessible.
Five hearings are scheduled:
February 26, 1996 Informational meeting
Monday commencing at 2:30 p.m.,
County Board Room followed by the first
Jackson Co. Courthouse hearing of the day.
307 Main Street A second hearing of
BLACK RIVER FALLS the day will commence
WISCONSIN at 6:30 p.m.
February 27, 1996 Informational meeting
Tuesday commencing at 10:00 a.m.,
County Board Mtg. Room followed by the hearing.
Law Enforcement Center
Rusk Co. Courthouse
311 East Miner Ave.
LADYSMITH, WI
February 29, 1996 Informational meeting
Thursday commencing at
Meeting Room 1:00 p.m., followed by
Co. Hwy. Dept. Bldg. the hearing.
1313 Holland Ave.
APPLETON, WI
(Use East Entrance, Please)
March 4, 1996 Informational meeting
Monday commencing at 2:30 p.m.,
Room 208 followed by the first
Jefferson Co. Courthouse hearing of the day.
320 South Main St. A second hearing of
JEFFERSON, WI the day will commence
at 6:30 p.m.
March 5, 1996 Informational meeting
Tuesday commencing at 2:30 p.m.,
Meeting Room followed by the hearing.
Iowa Co. Sheriff's Office
1205 N. Bequette St.
(Hwy 18 & 23 intersection)
DODGEVILLE, WI
Written comments will be accepted until March 15, 1996.
Analysis Prepared by the Dept. of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection
Statutory authority: ss. 92.05 (3) (c) and 93.07 (1)
Statute interpreted: ch. 92
This rule repeals and recreates ch. ATCP 50, Wis. Adm. Code, related to the Wisconsin Soil and Water Resource Management Program under ch. 92, Stats. This rule incorporates major changes made in the program by 1991 Wis. Act 309. This rule also reorganizes and clarifies current rules.
GENERAL OVERVIEW
The Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (“Department”) administers Wisconsin's Soil and Water Resource Management Program under ch. 92, Stats. The program is designed to conserve the state's soil and water resources, reduce soil erosion and enhance water quality. This rule spells out program standards and procedures.
The Department administers the program in cooperation with county land conservation committees, the Land and Water Conservation Board (“LWCB”), the Department of Natural Resources (“DNR”), and other state and federal agencies. The Department coordinates soil and water management efforts by these agencies. The Department also distributes funds to county land conservation committees, landowners, land users and others to support cost-effective soil and water resource management practices.
County Programs
This rule establishes standards for county soil and water resource management programs. County programs must include the following elements:
○ A county soil erosion control plan, and a program to implement that plan.
○ A program to ensure that recipients of farmland preservation tax credits meet minimum soil and water conservation standards.
○ A plan to abate nonpoint source pollution in priority watersheds and priority lake areas, and a program to implement that plan.
○ An annual year-end report which includes a summary of county accomplishments, a summary of how staff time was used, a cropland soil erosion status report, and a financial report.
○ An annual workplan and grant application which describes the county's proposed activities for the coming year, and requests state funding for those activities. A grant application may request funding for county staff and support costs, as well as for cost-share grants and incentive payments to landowners and land users.
○ A program to receive, distribute and account for soil and water resource management grants.
○ Procedures to ensure that landowner practices funded by state grant moneys are properly designed, constructed and installed.
○ A recordkeeping and recording system.
○ A program of information and education for landowners and land users.
Grants to Counties
The Department distributes soil and water resource management grants to county land conservation committees. The grants are used to fund county soil and water conservation staff. They are also used to fund county cost-share grants and incentive payments to landowners and land users.
The Department distributes these grants according to an annual grant allocation plan. The Department prepares the annual plan based on available funding, Department funding priorities, and annual workplans and grant applications from the counties. The LWCB reviews the Department's annual grant allocation plan.
This rule spells out standards and procedures for distributing grants to county land conservation committees. It includes standards and procedures for all of the following:
○ County Workplans and Grant Applications.
○ Annual Grant Allocation Plans.
○ Grant Contracts with Counties.
○ Grant Payments to Counties.
Cost-Share Grants and Incentive Payments to Landowners and Land Users
Under the Soil and Water Resource Management Program, a county land conservation committee may use state grant funds to make cost-share grants and incentive payments to landowners and land users. The Department may also make direct cost-share grants to landowners and land users for some purposes, such as manure management systems needed to comply with a DNR notice of discharge.
A “cost-share grant” reimburses a landowner for part of the cost of installing specific practices identified in the grant. An “incentive payment” means a payment made to a landowner if the landowner complies with specified soil and water resource management standards (the method of compliance is left to the landowner).
This rule spells out standards and procedures related to cost-share grants and incentive payments, including:
○ General criteria for awarding cost-share grants and incentive payments.
○ Practices eligible for cost-share grants.
○ Cost-share rates and maximum payments.
○ Design and construction standards.
○ Contracts with landowners and land users.
○ Verifying compliance by landowners and land users.
Agricultural Engineering Practices and Nutrient Management Planning; Qualified Personnel
Under 1991 Wis. Act 309, the Department is required to certify county land conservation committee staff and others who design, review or approve agricultural engineering practices under the Soil and Water Resource Management Program. This rule spells out certification standards and procedures. The standards and procedures are similar to those used by the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation service (USDA).
