Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted to Mr. Keith Warnke, Bureau of Wildlife Management, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707 no later than April 30, 2003. Written comments will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the hearings. A copy of the proposed rule (Wm-06-03) and fiscal estimate may be obtained from Mr. Warnke.
Notice of Hearing
Natural Resources
(Environmental Protection-General)
[
CR 03-027]
NOTICE IS HERE BY GIVEN that pursuant to ss.
227.11,
281.58 and
281.59, Stats., interpreting ss.
281.58,
281.59 and
283.01, Stats., the Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on the repeal of ch.
NR 165 and the repeal and recreation of ch.
NR 162, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to the Clean Water Fund program financial assistance. Currently ch.
NR 162 contains four subchapters with requirements for general Clean Water Fund Program loans, hardship financial assistance, and priority scoring. Chapter
NR 165 contains the requirements for obtaining interest rate subsidy from the Clean Water Fund Program on loans made by the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. Incorporating the requirements of ch.
NR 165 as a subchapter in ch.
NR 162 completes the Clean Water Fund Program's administrative chapter, enhancing clarity and convenience in locating the requirements for all types of Clean Water Fund Program financial assistance.
The proposed revisions to the interest rate subsidy language include: 1) an increase of the dollar limit on projects eligible for interest rate subsidy from $750,000 to $1,000,000; and 2) general improvements in the code language for greater clarity and consistency with language in the existing subchapters of ch.
NR 162.
Changes made to the existing subchapters of ch.
NR 162 include: 1) adding and modifying definitions as needed for clarification and inclusion of interest rate subsidy in the chapter; 2) adding eligibility items that have been program policy but not previously codified; 3) modifying existing notice of intent to apply requirements for clarity; 4) addition of a joint treatment works score for projects that meet criteria specified in s.
281.58 (8e) (cm), Stats.; and 5) general language changes for clarity and consistency between subchapters.
NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that pursuant to s.
227.114, Stats., it is not anticipated that the proposed rule will have an economic impact on small businesses.
NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the Department has made a preliminary determination that this action does not involve significant adverse environmental effects and does not need an environmental analysis under ch.
NR 150, Wis. Adm. Code. However, based on the comments received, the Department may prepare an environmental analysis before proceeding with the proposal. This environmental review document would summarize the Department's consideration of the impacts of the proposal and reasonable alternatives.
NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the hearing will be held on:
Wednesday, April 16, 2003 at 9:00 a.m.
Video conference participation will be available at:
Room 021, GEF #2
101 South Webster St.
Madison
Room 139, State Office Building
718 Clairemont Ave.
Eau Claire
Room 618, State Office Building
200 N. Jefferson
Green Bay
Room 3, DNR Regional Headquarters
107 Sutliff Avenue
Rhinelander
NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. Please call David Calhoun at (608) 264-8844 with specific information on your request at least 10 days before the date of the scheduled hearing.
Fiscal Estimate
Under the Small Loan Program, municipalities receive subsidy from the Environmental Improvement Fund on the interest costs of loans they have received from the State Trust Fund for eligible wastewater treatment projects. The small Loan Program offers municipalities an application process that is streamlined, compared to the regular Clean Water fund Program application process, for small loans secured through a general obligation pledge. This streamlined process saves administrative costs for both the Department and municipalities. One of the proposed revisions to the Small Loan Program is to increase the dollar limit on eligible projects from $750,000 to $1,000,000. This would make more projects eligible to use the streamlined Small Loan Program process, thereby increasing the administrative cost savings for the Department and municipalities. It would be difficult to estimate the amount of these cost savings, since the impact on staff time and the number of applications we will received are unknown. Since the amount of subsidy awarded may not exceed the amount a municipality would receive through a regular Clean Water Fund Program loan, it is unlikely that there will be an increase in the amount of subsidy costs the Environmental Improvement Fund incurs.
The other proposed revisions to ch.
NR 162 should have no fiscal impact.
Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted to Ms. Jeanne Cargill, Bureau of Community Financial Assistance, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707 no later than April 25, 2003. Written comments will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the hearing. A copy of the proposed rule (CF-10-03) and fiscal estimate may be obtained from Ms. Cargill.
Notice of Hearing
Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs will hold a public hearing on the 11th day of April, 2003, at 9:30 a.m., in the 8th floor board room at 30 West Mifflin Street in Madison, Wisconsin.
Analysis Prepared by the Department of Veterans Affairs
The amendment of s.
VA 2.01 (2) (b) 2. will enable the Wisconsin department of veterans affairs to expend additional funds for dentures under the health care aid grant program. Increasing the expenditure limitation from the current 25% of appropriation authority to 50% will allow the department to address the increasing demand dentures.
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
This rule is not expected to have any adverse impact upon small businesses.
Fiscal Estimate
It is estimated that the Department will spend an additional $300,000 on dentures from the current annual appropriation authority of $1,200,000.
A copy of the proposed rules and the full fiscal estimate may be obtained by contacting:
John Rosinski
Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs
PO Box 7843
Madison, WI 53707-7843
Contact Person
John Rosinski (608) 266-7916
