Register

Draft Environmental Impact Statement

The Department has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for proposed 2000 amendments to rules on the use of pesticides containing atrazine. Copies are available from the Department on request and will be available at the public hearings. Comments on the EIS should be directed to the Agricultural Resource Management Division, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, P.O. Box 8911, Madison, WI, 53708 in care of Jeff Postle. Phone [phone]. Written comments on the EIS will be accepted until September 17, 1999.

Notice of Hearings

Commerce

(Commercial Building Code
Chs. Comm 50-65)

[CR 99-120]

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to ss. 101.02 (1) and (15), 101.14 (4), and 227.17, Stats., the Department of Commerce announces that it will hold public hearings on proposed rules relating to Fire Safety Requirements in the Commercial Building Code, chapters Comm 50-64.

Hearing Information

August 27, 1999   State Office Bldg.

Friday   Room 105

11:00 a.m.   718 W. Clairemont Avenue

  Eau Claire, WI

August 30, 1999   State Office Bldg.

Monday   Room 120

10:00 a.m.   141 N.W. Barstow Street

  Waukesha, WI

September 1, 1999   WHEDA Bldg.

Wednesday   Room 3B

10:00 a.m.   201 W. Washigton Ave.

  Madison, WI

September 2, 1999   State Office Bldg.

Thursday   Room 152A

11:00 a.m.   200 N. Jefferson Street

  Green Bay, WI

Interested persons are invited to appear at the hearings and present comments on the proposed rules. Persons making oral presentations are requested to submit their comments in writing. Persons submitting comments will not receive individual responses. The hearing record on this proposed rulemaking will remain open until Friday, September 17, 1999, to permit submittal of written comments from persons who are unable to attend a hearing or who wish to supplement testimony offered at a hearing.

These hearings are held in accessible facilities. If you have special needs or circumstances that may make communication or accessibility difficult at the hearing, please call [phone] or TTY at [phone] at least 10 days prior to the hearing date. Accommodations such as interpreters, English translators, or materials in audio tape format will, to the fullest extent possible, be made available upon request by a person with a disability.

A copy of the proposed rules may be obtained without cost from Audrey Fries, Department of Commerce, Program Development Bureau, P.O. Box 2689, Madison, Wisconsin 53701, telephone [phone] or [phone] (TTY). Copies will also be available at the public hearings.

Analysis of Proposed Rules

Statutory Authority: ss. 101.02 (1) and (15), and 101.14 (4)

Statutes Interpreted: ss. 101.02 (1) and (15), 101.14 (4), and 101.145

Under ss. 101.02 and 101.14, Stats., the Department of Commerce has the responsibility to supervise every public building and place of employment, including the fire safety aspects, in order to protect the life, health, safety and welfare of every employe, frequenter, tenant and firefighter. The proposed changes in this package are intended to update code requirements and adopted national standards relating to building construction, building equipment, commodity storage and isolation, fire prevention, fire detection, and fire suppression as one part of that responsibility.

The proposed rule change updates the currently adopted National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards in the Building and Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Code, chapters Comm 50-64. Twenty four additional NFPA standards are proposed for adoption by reference. Most of these new standards relate to alternate methods of fire suppression or to storage and isolation requirements for various hazardous commodities.

Minor wording changes have been made to the text to clarify ambiguous requirements or to promote consistency within the code as well as consistency with national standards and national model codes. Several changes are proposed that will coincide with requirements in the International Building Code (IBC). Proposed requirements for fireblocking in building construction, using listed joint assemblies in fire-resistive construction, and fire isolation and suppression in commercial cooking facilities follow requirements from the IBC.

Environmental Assessment

Notice is hereby given that the Department has prepared a preliminary Environmental Assessment (EA) on the proposed rules. The preliminary recommendation is a finding of no significant impact. Copies of the preliminary EA are available from the Department on request and will be available at the public hearings. Requests for the EA and comments on the EA should be directed to:

Robert Langstroth

Department of Commerce

P.O. Box 2599

Madison, Wisconsin 53701

Telephone [phone]

or TTY [phone]

Written comments will be accepted until Friday, September 17, 1999.

Fiscal Estimate

There is no fiscal effect.

Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

1.   Types of small businesses that will be affected by the rules.

Businesses that install, test or maintain fire protection equipment will have clearer rules and up-to-date national standards to follow.

Businesses that store hazardous materials, such as compressed gases, various hazardous chemicals, rubber tires, rolled paper or explosive materials will be required to follow current national standards for the storage of those materials.

2.   Reporting, bookkeeping and other procedures required for compliance with the rules.

There are no additional reporting or bookkeeping procedures to comply with these rules.

3.   Types of professional skills necessary for compliance with the rules.

There are no additional professional skills needed to comply with these rules.

Notice of Hearing

Commerce

(Financial Resources for Businesses
& Communities,
Chs. Comm 105 to 128)

The Department of Commerce announces that it will hold a public hearing on the emergency rule relating to ch. Comm 111 Certified Capital Companies.

Hearing Information

August 17, 1999   Conference Room 3B

Tuesday   201 W. Washington Ave.

2:00 p.m.   Madison, WI

Interested persons are invited to appear at the hearing and present comments on the emergency rules. Persons making oral presentations are requested to submit their comments in writing. Persons submitting comments will not receive individual responses. The hearing record on this rulemaking will remain open until August 22, 1999, to permit submittal of written comments from persons who are unable to attend a hearing or who wish to supplement testimony offered at a hearing. Written comments should be submitted to Richard Meyer (608-266-3080), Department of Commerce, P.O. Box 2689, Madison, WI 53701-2689.

This hearing is held in an accessible facility. If you have special needs or circumstances that may make communication or accessibility difficult at the hearing, please call [phone] or TTY at [phone] at least 10 days prior to the hearing date. Accommodations such as interpreters, English translators, or materials in audio tape format will, to the fullest extent possible, be made available upon request by a person with a disability.

Analysis

Statutory Authority: ss. 560.31, 560.34 (1m) (b), and 227.24

Statutes Interpreted: ss. 560.31, 560.34 (1m) (b), and 227.24

On June 17, 1999, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) held a public hearing on proposed rules in response to 1997 Wis. Act 215. That act provides tax credits to persons that make certain investments in certified capital companies that are certified by Commerce. Legislators and persons interested in the rules testified at the hearing and requested that Commerce adopt an emergency rule that would (1) allow persons to apply for certification to become certified as capital companies, (2) allow persons to apply to make a certified capital investment in a certified capital company, and (3) set forth the operational and reporting requirements of certified capital companies required under the law. Since then, articles in the newspaper as well as business journals have pointed out the lack of venture capital in the state hinders high-tech growth and making that capital available will benefit Wisconsin as it has done in other states. This emergency rule is necessary to begin implementation of the law and to place Wisconsin in a better position to make capital available to draw high-tech industries, create new businesses, and expand existing businesses that will ultimately create new jobs and benefit all its citizens.

Contact Person

Philip Edw. Albert, Deputy Secretary, 608-267-0770

Fiscal Estimate

The 1997 Wis. Act 215, authorizes the creation of a certified capital company program and provides tax credits to persons who make certain types of investments in certified capital companies (CAPCOs). The act authorizes the Department of Commerce (Commerce) to administer the program and creates a program revenue appropriation in which fees and other monies collected for administering the program are deposited. As required by the law and rules Commerce will: (1) certify capital companies; (2), certify qualified businesses; (3) review annual reports and financial statements; (4) make written determinations regarding certified capital company distributions; 95) conduct annual compliance reviews of certified capital companies; and (6) determine and issue written notices of investment pool disqualification's.

Based on limited data, Commerce estimates it will certify approximately 16 CAPCO's and the program will generate approximately $120,000 in program revenue from; (1) a $7,500 application fee from a capital certified company seeking certification and (2) an annual $5,000 certification fee.

Commerce estimates 2.0 PR positions at an annual cost of$100,700 are required to administer the program. The costs are broken down as follows:

1.0 Financial Examiner   $45,000

  (Salary and Fringe Benefits)

1.0 Financial Specialist   $33,000

  (Salary and Fringe Benefits)

Supplies and Services   $ 1,800

Rent   $ 4,200