AB700,7,2120 8. Reducing the use of renewable natural resources through increased
21efficiency.
AB700,7,2322 9. Adopting methods that reduce the depletion of, or long-term damage to,
23renewable natural resources.
AB700,7,2424 (h) "Violation" means a violation of an environmental requirement.
AB700,8,2
1(1m) Administration of program. In administering the program, the
2department shall attempt to do all of the following:
AB700,8,43 (a) Promote, reward, and sustain superior environmental performance by
4participants.
AB700,8,75 (b) Promote environmental performance that voluntarily exceeds legal
6requirements related to health, safety, and the environment and that results in
7continuous improvement in this state's environment, economy, and quality of life.
AB700,8,98 (c) Provide clear incentives for participation that will result in real benefits to
9participants.
AB700,8,1310 (d) Promote attention to unregulated environmental problems and provide
11opportunities for conservation of resources and environmental restoration by
12entities that are subject to environmental requirements and entities that are not
13subject to environmental requirements.
AB700,8,1514 (e) Make the program compatible with federal programs that create incentives
15for achieving environmental performance that exceeds legal requirements.
AB700,8,1816 (f) Increase levels of trust, communication, and accountability among
17regulatory agencies, entities that are subject to environmental requirements, and
18the public.
AB700,8,2219 (g) Reduce the time and money spent by regulatory agencies and entities that
20are subject to environmental requirements on tasks that do not benefit the
21environment by focusing on more efficient performance of necessary tasks and
22eliminating unnecessary tasks.
AB700,8,2523 (h) Report information concerning environmental performance and data
24concerning ambient environmental quality to the public in a manner that is accurate,
25timely, credible, relevant, and useable to interested persons.
AB700,9,2
1(i) Provide for the measurement of environmental performance in terms of
2accomplishing goals and require the reporting of the results.
AB700,9,53 (j) Implement an evaluation system that provides flexibility and affords some
4protection for experimentation by participants that use innovative techniques to try
5to achieve superior environmental performance.
AB700,9,66 (k) Remove disincentives to achieving superior environmental performance.
AB700,9,87 (L) Provide for sustained business success as well as a reduction in
8environmental pollution.
AB700,9,109 (m) Promote the transfer of technological and practical innovations that
10improve environmental performance in an efficient, effective, or safe manner.
AB700,9,1211 (n) Lower the administrative costs associated with environmental
12requirements and with achieving superior environmental performance.
AB700,9,17 13(3) Eligibility for tier i. (a) General. An applicant is eligible for tier I of the
14program if the applicant satisfies the requirements in pars. (b) to (d). If an applicant
15consists of a group of entities, each requirement in pars. (b) to (d) applies to each
16entity in the group. An applicant for tier I of the program shall identify the facilities
17or activities that it intends to include in the program.
AB700,9,1918 (b) Enforcement record. To be eligible to participate in tier I of the program, an
19applicant shall demonstrate all of the following:
AB700,9,2520 1. That, within 60 months before the date of application, no judgment of
21conviction was entered against the applicant, any managing operator of the
22applicant, or any person with a 25 percent or more ownership interest in the
23applicant for a criminal violation involving a covered facility or activity that resulted
24in substantial harm to public health or the environment or that presented an
25imminent threat to public health or the environment.
AB700,10,5
11g. That, within 60 months before the date of application, no judgment of
2conviction was entered against the applicant, any managing operator of the
3applicant, or any person with a 25 percent or more ownership interest in the
4applicant for a false statement or obstructing justice with respect to an
5environmental requirement in a matter that involves a covered facility or activity.
AB700,10,106 1m. That, within 60 months before the date of application, no judgment was
7entered against the applicant, any managing operator of the applicant, or any person
8with a 25 percent or more ownership interest in the applicant for violating an
9administrative order issued by the federal environmental protection agency in a
10matter that involves a covered facility or activity.
AB700,10,1611 1r. That, within 60 months before the date of application, no judgment was
12entered against the applicant, any managing operator of the applicant, or any person
13with a 25 percent or more ownership interest in the applicant for violating a consent
14decree or settlement agreement with an individual, this state, or the federal
15government in a matter that is related to a law for the protection of the natural
16environment and that involves a covered facility or activity.
AB700,10,2117 2. That, within 36 months before the date of application, no civil judgment was
18entered against the applicant, any managing operator of the applicant, or any person
19with a 25 percent or more ownership interest in the applicant for a violation involving
20a covered facility or activity that resulted in substantial harm to public health or the
21environment.
AB700,11,222 3. That, within 24 months before the date of application, the department of
23justice has not filed a suit to enforce an environmental requirement, and the
24department of natural resources has not issued a citation to enforce an

1environmental requirement, because of a violation involving a covered facility or
2activity.
AB700,11,43 (c) Environmental performance. To be eligible to participate in tier I of the
4program, an applicant shall submit an application that describes all of the following:
AB700,11,65 1. The applicant's past environmental performance with respect to each
6covered facility or activity.
AB700,11,87 2. The applicant's current environmental performance with respect to each
8covered facility or activity.
AB700,11,119 3. The applicant's plans for activities that enhance the environment, such as
10improving the applicant's environmental performance with respect to each covered
11facility or activity.
AB700,11,1312 (d) Environmental management system. To be eligible to participate in tier I
13of the program, an applicant shall do all of the following:
AB700,11,1614 1. Demonstrate that it has implemented, or commit itself to implementing
15within one year of application, an environmental management system, for each
16covered facility or activity, that is all of the following:
AB700,11,1917 a. In compliance with the standards for environmental management systems
18issued by the International Organization for Standardization or determined by the
19department to be a functionally equivalent environmental management system.
AB700,11,2220 b. Determined by the department to be appropriate to the nature, scale, and
21environmental impacts of the applicant's operations related to each covered facility
22or activity.
AB700,11,2423 2. Include, in the environmental management system under subd. 1., objectives
24in at least 2 of the following areas:
AB700,12,3
1a. Improving the environmental performance of the applicant, with respect to
2each covered facility or activity, in aspects of environmental performance that are
3regulated under chs. 29 to 31, 160, and 280 to 299.
AB700,12,64 b. Improving the environmental performance of the applicant, with respect to
5each covered facility or activity, in aspects of environmental performance that are not
6regulated under chs. 29 to 31, 160, and 280 to 299.
AB700,12,77 c. Voluntarily restoring, enhancing, or preserving natural resources.
AB700,12,118 3. Explain to the department the rationale for the choices of objectives under
9subd. 2. and describe any consultations with residents of the areas in which each
10covered facility or activity is located or performed and with other interested persons
11concerning those objectives.
AB700,12,1612 4. Conduct, or commit itself to conducting, annual environmental management
13system audits, with every 3rd environmental management system audit performed
14by an outside environmental auditor approved by the department, and commit itself
15to submitting to the department an annual report on the environmental
16management system audit that is in compliance with sub. (6m) (a).
AB700,12,1817 5. Commit itself to submitting to the department an annual report on progress
18toward meeting the objectives under subd. 2.
AB700,12,22 19(4) Process for tier i. (a) Upon receipt of an application for participation in
20tier I of the program, the department shall provide public notice about the
21application in the area in which each covered facility or activity is located or
22performed.
AB700,12,2423 (b) After providing public notice under par. (a) about an application, the
24department may hold a public informational meeting on the application.
AB700,13,6
1(c) The department shall approve or deny an application within 60 days after
2providing notice under par. (a) or, if the department holds a public informational
3meeting under par. (b), within 60 days after that meeting. The department may limit
4the number of participants in tier I of the program, or limit the extent of participation
5by a particular applicant, based on the department's determination that the
6limitation is in the best interest of the program.
AB700,13,87 (d) Notwithstanding s. 227.42 (1), a decision by the department under par. (c)
8to approve or deny an application is not subject to review under ch. 227.
AB700,13,10 9(4m) Incentives for tier i. (a) The department shall issue a numbered
10certificate of recognition to each participant in tier I of the program.
AB700,13,1211 (b) The department shall identify each participant in tier I of the program on
12an Internet site maintained by the department.
AB700,13,1513 (c) The department shall annually provide notice of the participation of each
14participant in tier I of the program to newspapers in the area in which each covered
15facility or activity is located.
AB700,13,1816 (d) A participant in tier I of the program may use an Environmental Results
17Program logo selected by the department on written materials produced by the
18participant.
AB700,13,2319 (e) The department shall assign an employee of the department, who is
20acceptable to the participant, to serve as the contact with the department for a
21participant in tier I of the program for communications concerning participation in
22the program, for any approvals that the participant is required to obtain, and for
23technical assistance.
AB700,14,524 (f) After a participant in tier I of the program implements an environmental
25management system that complies with sub. (3) (d) 1., the department shall conduct

1any inspections of the participant's covered facilities or activities that are required
2under chs. 29 to 31, 160, and 280 to 299 at the lowest frequency permitted under
3those chapters, except that the department may conduct an inspection whenever it
4has reason to believe that a participant is out of compliance with a requirement in
5an approval or with an environmental requirement.
AB700,14,10 6(5) Eligibility for tier ii. (a) General. An applicant is eligible for tier II of the
7program if the applicant satisfies the requirements in pars. (b) to (d). If an applicant
8consists of a group of entities, each requirement in pars. (b) to (d) applies to each
9entity in the group. An applicant for tier II of the program shall identify the facilities
10or activities that it intends to include in the program.
AB700,14,1211 (b) Enforcement record. To be eligible to participate in tier II of the program,
12an applicant shall demonstrate all of the following:
AB700,14,1813 1. That, within 120 months before the date of application, no judgment of
14conviction was entered against the applicant, any managing operator of the
15applicant, or any person with a 25 percent or more ownership interest in the
16applicant for a criminal violation involving a covered facility or activity that resulted
17in substantial harm to public health or the environment or that presented an
18imminent threat to public health or the environment.
AB700,14,2319 1g. That, within 120 months before the date of application, no judgment of
20conviction was entered against the applicant, any managing operator of the
21applicant, or any person with a 25 percent or more ownership interest in the
22applicant for a false statement or obstructing justice with respect to an
23environmental requirement in a matter that involves a covered facility or activity.
AB700,15,324 1m. That, within 120 months before the date of application, no judgment was
25entered against the applicant, any managing operator of the applicant, or any person

1with a 25 percent or more ownership interest in the applicant for violating an
2administrative order issued by the federal environmental protection agency in a
3matter that involves a covered facility or activity.
AB700,15,94 1r. That, within 120 months before the date of application, no judgment was
5entered against the applicant, any managing operator of the applicant, or any person
6with a 25 percent or more ownership interest in the applicant for violating a consent
7decree or settlement agreement with an individual, this state, or the federal
8government in a matter that is related to a law for the protection of the natural
9environment and that involves a covered facility or activity.
AB700,15,1410 2. That, within 60 months before the date of application, no civil judgment was
11entered against the applicant, any managing operator of the applicant, or any person
12with a 25 percent or more ownership interest in the applicant for a violation involving
13a covered facility or activity that resulted in substantial harm to public health or the
14environment.
AB700,15,1915 3. That, within 24 months before the date of application, the department of
16justice has not filed a suit to enforce an environmental requirement, and the
17department of natural resources has not issued a citation to enforce an
18environmental requirement, because of a violation involving a covered facility or
19activity.
AB700,15,2120 (c) Environmental management system. To be eligible to participate in tier II
21of the program, an applicant shall do all of the following:
AB700,15,2322 1. Demonstrate that it has implemented an environmental management
23system, for each covered facility or activity, that is all of the following:
AB700,16,3
1a. In compliance with the standards for environmental management systems
2issued by the International Organization for Standardization or determined by the
3department to be a functionally equivalent environmental management system.
AB700,16,64 b. Determined by the department to be appropriate to the nature, scale, and
5environmental impacts of the applicant's operations related to to each covered
6facility or activity.
AB700,16,107 2. Commit itself to having an outside environmental auditor approved by the
8department conduct an annual environmental management system audit and to
9submitting to the department an annual report on the environmental management
10system audit that is in compliance with sub. (6m) (a).
AB700,16,1411 3. Commit itself to annually conducting, or having another person conduct, an
12audit of compliance with environmental requirements that are applicable to the
13covered facilities and activities and to reporting the results of the audit to the
14department in compliance with sub. (6m) (a).
AB700,16,1815 (d) Superior environmental performance. To be eligible to participate in tier II
16of the program, an applicant shall demonstrate a record of superior environmental
17performance and shall describe the measures that it proposes to take to maintain and
18improve its superior environmental performance.
AB700,16,23 19(6) Process for tier ii. (a) Letter of intent. To apply for participation in tier
20II of the program, an entity shall submit a letter of intent to the department. In
21addition to providing information necessary to show that the applicant satisfies the
22requirements in sub. (5), the applicant shall do all of the following in the letter of
23intent:
AB700,17,224 1. Describe the involvement of interested persons in developing the proposal
25for maintaining and improving the applicant's superior environmental performance,

1identify the interested persons, and describe the interests that those person have in
2the applicant's participation in the program.
AB700,17,43 2. Outline the provisions that it proposes to include in the participation
4contract.
AB700,17,75 3. Explain how the measures that the applicant proposes to take to maintain
6and improve its superior environmental performance are proportional to the
7incentives that it proposes to receive under the participation contract.
AB700,17,98 (b) Limitation. The department may limit the number of letters of intent that
9it processes based on the staff resources available.
AB700,17,1310 (c) Notice. If the department decides to process a letter of intent, within 90 days
11of receiving the letter of intent the department shall provide public notice about the
12letter of intent in the area in which each covered facility or activity is located or
13performed.
AB700,17,1614 (d) Public meeting. After providing public notice under par. (c) about a letter
15of intent, the department may hold a public informational meeting on the letter of
16intent.
AB700,17,2417 (e) Request to participate. Within 30 days after the public notice under par. (c),
18interested persons may request the department to grant them authorization to
19participate in the negotiations under par. (f). A person who makes a request under
20this paragraph shall describe the person's interests in the issues raised by the letter
21of intent. The department shall determine whether a person who makes a request
22under this paragraph may participate in the negotiations under par. (f) based on
23whether the person has demonstrated sufficient interest in the issues raised by the
24letter of intent to warrant that participation.
AB700,18,6
1(f) Negotiations. If the department determines that an applicant satisfies the
2requirements in sub. (5), the department may begin negotiations concerning a
3participation contract with the applicant and with any persons to whom the
4department granted permission under par. (e). The department may begin the
5negotiations no sooner than 30 days after providing public notice under par. (c) about
6the applicant's letter of intent.
AB700,18,117 (g) Termination of negotiations. The department may terminate negotiations
8with an applicant concerning a participation contract. Notwithstanding s. 227.42
9(1), a decision to terminate negotiations is not subject to review under ch. 227. The
10department shall conclude negotiations within 12 months of beginning negotiations
11unless the applicant and the department agree to an extension.
AB700,18,1512 (h) Notice of proposed contract. If negotiations under par. (f) result in a
13proposed participation contract, the department shall provide public notice about
14the proposed participation contract in the area in which each covered facility or
15activity is located or performed.
AB700,18,1816 (i) Meeting on proposed contract. After providing public notice under par. (h)
17about a proposed participation contract, the department may hold a public
18informational meeting on the proposed participation contract.
AB700,19,1319 (j) Participation contract. Within 30 days after providing notice under par. (h)
20or, if the department holds a public informational meeting under par. (i), within 30
21days after that meeting, the department shall decide whether to enter into a
22participation contract with an applicant, unless the applicant and the department
23agree to an extension beyond 30 days. In a participation contract, the department
24shall require that the participant maintain the environmental management system
25described in sub. (5) (c) 1. and abide by the commitments in sub. (5) (c) 2. and 3. The

1department may not reduce the frequency of required inspections or monitoring as
2an incentive in a participation contract if the audit under sub. (5) (c) 3. is conducted
3by a person other than an outside environmental auditor. The department shall
4ensure that the incentives provided under a participation contract are proportional
5to the environmental benefits that will be provided by the participant under the
6participation contract. The department shall include in a participation contract
7remedies that apply if a party fails to comply with the participation contract. The
8term of a participation contract may not be less than 3 years or more than 10 years,
9with opportunity for renewal for additional terms of the same length as the original
10term upon agreement of the parties. The term of a participation contract may not
11exceed 5 years if the participation contract incorporates, modifies, or otherwise
12affects the terms or conditions of a permit issued under s. 283.31, 283.33, or 285.62,
13unless federal and state law authorize a longer term for the permit.
AB700,19,1614 (k) Review of decision. Notwithstanding s. 227.42, there is no right to an
15administrative hearing on the department's decision to enter into a participation
16contract under par. (j), but the decision is subject to judicial review.
AB700,19,19 17(6m) Compliance reports and deferred civil enforcement. (a) Compliance
18reports.
If an audit under sub. (3) (d) 4. or (5) (c) 2. or 3. reveals any violations, the
19participant shall include all of the following in the report of the results of the audit:
AB700,19,2020 1. A description of all of the violations.
AB700,19,2221 2. A description of the actions taken or proposed to be taken to correct the
22violations identified in subd. 1.
AB700,19,2523 3. A commitment to correct the violations identified in subd. 1. within 90 days
24of submitting the report or according to a compliance schedule approved by the
25department.
AB700,20,7
14. If the participant proposes to take more than 90 days after submitting the
2report to correct the violations identified in subd. 1., a proposed compliance schedule
3that contains the shortest reasonable periods for correcting the violations, a
4statement that justifies the proposed compliance schedule, a description of measures
5that the participant will take to minimize the effects of the violations during the
6period of the compliance schedule, and proposed stipulated penalties to be imposed
7if the participant fails to comply with the proposed compliance schedule.
AB700,20,98 5. A description of the measures that the participant has taken or will take to
9prevent future violations.
AB700,20,2010 (b) Compliance schedules. 1. If the department receives a report under par. (a)
11that contains a proposed compliance schedule under par. (a) 4., the department shall
12review the proposed compliance schedule. The department may approve the
13compliance schedule as submitted or propose a different compliance schedule. If the
14participant does not agree to implement a compliance schedule proposed by the
15department, the department shall schedule a meeting with the participant to
16attempt to reach an agreement on a compliance schedule. If the department and the
17participant do not reach an agreement on a compliance schedule, the department
18shall terminate the participation of the participant in the program. If the parties
19agree to a compliance schedule, the participant shall incorporate the compliance
20schedule into its environmental management system.
AB700,20,2421 2. The department may not approve a compliance schedule that extends longer
22than 12 months beyond the date of approval of the compliance schedule. The
23department shall consider the following factors in determining whether to approve
24a compliance schedule:
AB700,20,2525 a. The environmental and public health consequences of the violations.
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