LRB-0441/2
RNK:cjs:rs
2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE
DOA:......Ley, BB0156 - Eligibility for obtaining an urban forestry grant
For 2015-2017 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction
An Act ...; relating to: the budget.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
natural resources
Other natural resources
Under current law, DNR is required to award urban forestry grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations for up to 50 percent of the cost of tree management plans, tree inventories, public education and other activities relating to trees and tree projects in urban areas (cost-sharing urban forestry grants). DNR may also award urban forestry grants (discretionary urban forestry grants) to local governments, nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized Indian tribes or bands for the costs of removing, saving, and replacing trees that have been damaged by catastrophic storm events in urban areas.
This bill eliminates DNR's authority to award these discretionary urban forestry grants. The bill also limits the purposes for which DNR may award cost-sharing urban forestry grants. Under the bill, DNR may award these grants only for the purpose of funding the cost of removing, saving, and replacing trees in urban areas that have been damaged by disease, infestation, or catastrophic storm events.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
Section
1. 23.097 (1g) of the statutes is amended to read:
23.097 (1g) The department shall award grants to counties, cities, villages, towns, and nonprofit organizations for up to 50% of the cost of tree management plans, tree inventories, brush residue projects, the development of tree management ordinances, tree disease evaluations, public education concerning trees in urban areas and other tree projects removing, saving, and replacing trees in urban areas that have been damaged by disease, infestation, or catastrophic storm events.
Section
2. 23.097 (1r) of the statutes is repealed.
(End)
