Rule-Making Notices (Hearing Notices)

State fiscal effect

None

Local fiscal effect

None

Long-range fiscal implications

Long range costs are dependant on the duration of department efforts and whether the size of the area impacted by CWD regulations shrinks or expands.

Notice of Hearing

Natural Resources

Fish, Game, etc., Chs. NR 1—

rulemaking_notices CR 08-014 CR 08-014

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT pursuant to ss. 23.09 (2) and 227.11 (2) (a), Stats., interpreting s. 23.09 (2), Stats., the Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on revisions to ch. NR 58, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to the implementation and administration of grants for endangered resources.

Hearing Information

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the hearing will be held on:

March 12, 2008 Wednesday at 4:00 p.m.

Room 613 GEF #2 State Office Bldg. 101 South Webster Street Madison

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 Heidi Nelson at [phone] with specific information on your request at least 10 days before the date of the scheduled hearing.

Agency Contact Person, Copy of Rule, and Submission of Written Comments

The proposed rule and fiscal estimate may be reviewed and comments electronically submitted at the following Internet site: http://adminrules.wisconsin.gov. Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted via U.S. mail to Ms. Heidi Nelson, Bureau of Endangered Resources, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Comments may be submitted until March 19, 2008. Written comments whether submitted electronically or by U.S. mail will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the public hearings. A personal copy of the proposed rule and fiscal estimate may be obtained from Ms. Nelson.

Analysis Prepared by Department of Natural Resources

The Department is revising ch. NR 58, the Endangered Resources Small Grants administrative rule, to add provisions establishing a grant program to provide financial assistance to the public, nongovernmental organizations, and public agencies to protect species of greatest conservation need and their habitat.

The State Wildlife Grants Program, funded through a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will provide funding for projects that protect species of greatest conservation need and their habitat, and that implement the Wildlife Action Plan. The ultimate goal of the program is to prevent the decline of wildlife species to a point where they are endangered. Projects funded by this grant program will also help protect and restore important land and water resources, allow for the collection and evaluation of information necessary to be able to determine which wildlife species are in trouble, and support efforts to establish and maintain partnerships. By emphasizing a proactive approach, the State Wildlife Grants Program supports efforts to take action to protect declining wildlife species before they become too rare and costly to protect.

The new program will provide a 50% to 100% cost share to agencies, landowners and organizations who meet the criteria of the program.

Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

Pursuant to s. 227.114, Stats., it is not anticipated that the proposed rule will have an economic impact on small businesses. The Department's Small Business Regulatory Coordinator may be contacted at SmallBusiness@ dnr.state.wi.us or by calling [phone].

Environmental Impact

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.

Fiscal Estimate

Summary

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is providing funding for states through the State Wildlife Grants Program. The program requires the Department to provide a 25% match for planning projects and a 50% match for implementation projects.

The Department currently has a grant agreement with USFWS for federal funding of $1,806,196 over a two year period. Of this amount, an estimated $1,079,924, or $539,962 annually will be used for administrative, development and implementation costs of the program ($434,962 salary and fringe benefit costs, and $105,000 in other state operations costs annually). With the proposed rule amendment, the Department will establish and implement Wisconsin's State Wildlife Grants Program to provide funding through a grant process to governmental agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations and individuals. Funding will be used to protect Species of Greatest Conservation Need and their habitats and help implement the Wildlife Action Plan. Total funding for grants is estimated to be $726,272 over the 2-year period, or $363,136 annually.

The grants may include a match of up to 50% by grantees which is expected to cover much of the state match for the federal grant. The remaining state match will be provided through: 1) existing staff time spent on administration of the State Wildlife Grants Program, including outreach and assistance to grant applicants, 2) existing staff time spent on projects to protect Species of Greatest Conservation Need and their habitats, and 3) a land bank that was established specifically for the purpose of helping match the federal State Wildlife Grant. State matching costs are indeterminate and not identified here, but are within existing budgets that may be re-directed to support grant activities.

State fiscal effect

There will be an increase in existing revenues. Increased costs may be possible to absorb within the agency's budget.

Local fiscal effect

None

Long-range fiscal implications

None

Notice of Hearing

Public Instruction

rulemaking_notices CR 08-007 CR 08-007

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That pursuant to s. 227.11 (2) (a), Stats., and interpreting s. 115.28 (46), Stats., the Department of Public Instruction will hold public hearings as follows to consider proposed emergency and permanent rules creating Chapter PI 31, relating to grants for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs.

Hearing Information

The hearings will be held as follows:

March 18, 2008     Madison
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.   GEF 3 Building
    125 South Webster Street
    Room 041

March 21, 2008     Madison
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.   GEF 3 Building
    125 South Webster Street
    Room 041

The hearing site is fully accessible to people with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation to access any meeting, please call Sharon Wendt, Director, Career and Technical Education, at [phone], [e-mail], or leave a message with the Teletypewriter (TTY) at [phone] at least 10 days prior to the hearing date. Reasonable accommodation includes materials prepared in an alternative format, as provided under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Copy of Rule

The administrative rule and fiscal note are available on the internet at http://dpi.wi.gov/pb/rulespg.html. A copy of the proposed rule and the fiscal estimate also may be obtained by sending an email request to [e-mail] or by writing to:

Lori Slauson

Administrative Rules and Federal Grants Coordinator

Department of Public Instruction

125 South Webster Street

P.O. Box 7841

Madison, WI 53707

Submission of Written Comments

Written comments on the proposed rules received by Ms. Slauson at the above mail or email address no later than March 27, 2008, will be given the same consideration as testimony presented at the hearing.

Agency Contact Person

Sharon Wendt, Director, Career and Technical Education, [phone], [e-mail].

Analysis by the Department of Public Instruction

Statute interpreted

Section 115.28 (46), Stats.

Statutory authority

Section 227.11 (2) (a), Stats.

Explanation of agency authority

Section 227.11 (2) (a), Stats., gives an agency rule-making authority to interpret the provisions of any statute enforced or administered by it, if the agency considers it necessary to effectuate the purpose of the statute.

Section 115.28 (46), Stats., is a new grant program created under 2007 Wisconsin Act 20, that provides $61,500 annually to school districts for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs.

Because this is a grant program, rules need to be in place so applicants know what criteria are being used in the awarding of funds.

The department will promulgate these rules as emergency rules effective January 30, 2008, in order to establish application criteria and procedures in time for the program to operate in the second semester of the school year.

Related statute or rule

None.

Plain language analysis

2007 Wisconsin Act 20, the biennial budget bill, created a new competitive grant program under s. 115.28 (46), Stats., appropriating $61,500 annually for school districts to: 1) develop innovative instructional programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics; 2) support pupils who are typically underrepresented in these subjects; and 3) increase the academic achievement of pupils in those subjects.

A new rule chapter must be created to implement this grant program.

Emergency rules were promulgated effective January 30, 2008, in order to establish application criteria and procedures in time for the program to operate in the second semester of the school year.

Comparison with federal regulations

N/A

Comparison with rules in adjacent states

Illinois – does not currently have a rule relating to grant programs for STEM. It does have a rule that awards grants to school districts to provide classroom computers and student lap tops.

Minnesota, Iowa and Michigan do not have rules relating to grant programs for STEM.

Summary of factual data and analytical methodologies

Wisconsin faces the challenge of developing an economy that is more knowledge based than is presently the case. Encouraging a significantly higher number of students to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) could be an important step in remedying this situation. Equally important, given STEM-related advances and the influence of those advances on the economy, there is a great need for all Wisconsin students to have a solid foundation in these areas of study. Finally and perhaps most critically, there are troublesome participation gaps in STEM that have the potential to widen the achievement gap if they are not successfully addressed.

Section 115.28 (46), Stats., allows grants to be awarded to school districts to, in part, increase the participation of underserved students and the academic achievement of pupils in STEM. In order to overcome some of the issues resulting in achievement and participation gaps in STEM courses and career pursuits, and to better prepare Wisconsin students for meaningful careers in STEM-related fields, the rules expand the definition of “academic achievement" to include the achievement of pupils in STEM courses, career or technical applications.

Because 2007 Wisconsin Act 20 creating this grant program became effective October 27, 2007, the rule established an application deadline of February 15 to expedite the awarding of funds in 2007-08. In subsequent years, applications will be due May 1 to coincide with application timelines established for other grants awarded by the department.

Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

The proposed rules are not anticipated to have a fiscal effect on small businesses as defined under s. 227.114 (1) (a), Stats.

Fiscal Estimate

Summary

Under s. 20.255 (2) (fz), Stats., 2007 Wisconsin Act 20 appropriated $61,500 annually for school districts to 1) develop innovative instructional programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics; 2) support pupils who are typically underrepresented in these subjects; and 3) increase the academic achievement of pupils in those subjects.

The rules establish criteria and procedures for awarding grants under this program. The rules will have no fiscal effect on local governments or small businesses as defined in s. 227.114 (1) (a), Stats.

The costs associated with administering this grant program will be absorbed by the department.

Anticipated costs incurred by private sector