SB523: Bill Text

SB523,101,24 8. Whether the water use is continuous or intermittent.

SB523,101,25 9. Whether the person holds a permit under s. 283.31.

SB523,102,1 10. Other information required by the department by rule.

SB523,102,3 (c) The department shall maintain a registry containing the information provided under par. (b) and s. 281.344 (3) (b).

SB523,102,6 (cm) The department may consider domestic security concerns when determining whether information regarding locations of withdrawals and diversions contained in the registry under par. (c) may be released to the public.

SB523,102,13 (e) 1. Each person who makes a withdrawal from the waters of the state that averages 100,000 gallons per day or more in any 30-day period or diverts any amount and who has registered the withdrawal or diversion under par. (a) or s. 287.344 (3) (a) shall annually report to the department the monthly volumes of withdrawal, whether the person withdraws at least 1,000,000 gallons per day for 30 consecutive days, and, if applicable, the volumes of diversion and, subject to par. (em), water loss from consumptive use.

SB523,102,17 2. In addition to the information required under subd. 1., the department may, by rule, create different reporting frequencies or require additional information from a person who registers a withdrawal, or diversion under par. (a) or s. 281.344 (3) (a) based upon the type or category of water use.

SB523,102,23 (em) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., if a person to whom par. (e) 1. applies provides any of the water that the person withdraws to a public water supply system, the person who operates the public water supply system, rather than the person who withdraws the water, shall annually report to the department the volume of water loss from the consumptive use of the water provided to the public water supply system.

SB523,103,3 2. A person who operates a wastewater treatment system, rather than the person who withdraws the water or who operates a public water supply system, shall annually report to the department the volume of water loss from a consumptive use of water that occurs after the treatment of the wastewater by the person who operates the wastewater treatment system.

SB523,103,5 (f) The department may require additional information under par. (b) 10. or (e) 2. only if the information is related to the purposes of the compact.

SB523,103,10 (4) Diversions. (a) Prohibition. Beginning on the compact's effective date, no person may begin a diversion or increase the amount of a diversion over the diversion amount specified in an approval under this subsection or over the interbasin transfer amount specified in an approval issued under s. 281.344 (3m) or (4), except as authorized under par. (c), (d), or (e).

SB523,103,13 (b) Application. 1. A person who proposes to begin a diversion or to increase the amount of a diversion under par. (c), (d), or (e) shall apply to the department for approval.

SB523,103,16 2. A person may apply under subd. 1. for approval of a new or increased diversion under par. (c) or (e) only if the person operates a public water supply system that receives or would receive water from the new or increased diversion.

SB523,103,18 3. Operators of 2 or more public water supply systems may submit a joint application under subd. 1. for a new or increased diversion under par. (c) or (e).

SB523,103,22 4. A person who applies under subd. 1. shall provide information about the potential impacts of the diversion on the waters of the Great Lakes basin and water dependent natural resources and any other information required by the department by rule.

SB523,104,2 4m. If a person who applies under subd. 1. will not directly withdraw the water proposed to be diverted, the person shall identify the entity that will withdraw the water and provide evidence of any agreement necessary to obtain water from that entity.

SB523,104,6 4p. If the person who applies under subd. 1. will not directly return the water to the Great Lakes basin, the person shall identify the entity that will return the water and provide evidence of any agreement necessary to have that entity return the water.

SB523,104,14 4s. If the proposal for which a person applies under subd. 1. is subject to the exception standard under par. (f), the person shall provide documentation of how the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the receiving water under par. (f) 3. will be protected and sustained as required under ss. 30.12, 281.15, and 283.31, considering the state of the receiving water before the proposal is implemented. If the receiving water is a surface water body that is tributary to one of the Great Lakes, the person shall include a description of the flow of the receiving water before the proposal is implemented, considering both low and high flow conditions.

SB523,104,18 5. If the proposal for which a person applies under subd. 1. is subject to the exception standard under par. (f), the person shall provide an assessment of the individual impacts of the proposal for the purposes of par. (f) 5. The person may also include a cumulative impact assessment.

SB523,104,20 (bg) Determinations. 1. The department shall determine whether a proposal under par. (b) is subject to par. (c) or (e) as follows:

SB523,104,23 a. If the proposal is to provide a public water supply within a single city, village, or town, the proposal is subject to par. (c) or (e) based on the boundaries of that city, village, or town.

SB523,105,3 b. If the proposal is to provide a public water supply within more than one city, village, or town, any portion of the proposal that provides a public water supply within a straddling community is subject to par. (c) and any portion of the proposal that provides a public water supply within a community within a straddling county is subject to par. (e).

SB523,105,9 2. For the purposes of applying the requirements in pars. (c), (e), and (f) to a proposal under par. (b), the department shall use, as appropriate, the current or planned service area of the public water supply system receiving water under the proposal. The planned service area is the service area of the system at the end of any planning period authorized by the department in the approved water supply service area plan under s. 281.348 that covers the public water supply system.

SB523,105,14 (c) Straddling communities. The department may approve a proposal under par. (b) to begin a diversion, or to increase the amount of a diversion, to an area within a straddling community but outside the Great Lakes basin or outside the source watershed if the water diverted will be used solely for public water supply purposes in the straddling community and all of the following apply:

SB523,105,17 1. An amount of water equal to the amount of water withdrawn from the Great Lakes basin, less an allowance for consumptive use, will be returned to the source watershed.

SB523,105,19 2. No surface water or groundwater from outside the source watershed will be returned to the source watershed unless all of the following apply:

SB523,105,21 a. The returned water will be from a water supply or wastewater treatment system that combines water from inside and outside the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,105,24 b. The returned water will be treated to meet applicable permit requirements under s. 283.31 and to prevent the introduction of invasive species into the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,106,4 c. The proposal maximizes the amount of water withdrawn from the Great Lakes basin that will be returned to the source watershed and minimizes the amount of water from outside the Great Lakes basin that will be returned to the source watershed.

SB523,106,6 2m. The proposal is consistent with an approved water supply service area plan under s. 281.348 that covers the public water supply system.

SB523,106,9 3. If the proposal would result from a new withdrawal or an increase in a withdrawal that would average 100,000 gallons or more per day in any 90-day period, the proposal meets the exception standard under par. (f).

SB523,106,12 4. If the proposal would result in a new water loss or an increase in a water loss from consumptive use that would average 5,000,000 gallons or more per day in any 90-day period, all of the following apply:

SB523,106,13 a. The department conducts a technical review.

SB523,106,15 b. The department notifies the regional body as required in s. 281.343 (4h) (b) 1.

SB523,106,16 c. The proposal undergoes regional review.

SB523,106,18 d. The department considers the regional declaration of finding in determining whether to approve the proposal.

SB523,107,2 (d) Intrabasin transfer. 1. The department may approve a proposal under par. (b) for a new intrabasin transfer or an increase in an intrabasin transfer to which par. (c) does not apply that would average less than 100,000 gallons per day in every 90-day period, if the proposal meets the applicable requirements under s. 30.18, 281.34, or 281.41 or, if those sections do not apply, any requirements specified by the department by rule and, if the water will be used for public water supply purposes, the proposal is consistent with an approved water supply service area plan under s. 281.348 that covers the public water supply system.

SB523,107,7 2. The department may approve a proposal under par. (b) for a new intrabasin transfer or an increase in an intrabasin transfer to which par. (c) does not apply that would average more than 100,000 gallons per day in any 90-day period with a new water loss or an increase in water loss that would average less than 5,000,000 gallons per day in every 90-day period, if all of the following apply:

SB523,107,10 a. The proposal meets the exception standard under par. (f), except that the water may be returned to a watershed within the Great Lakes basin other than the source watershed and par. (f) 3m. does not apply.

SB523,107,14 b. The applicant demonstrates that there is no feasible, cost-effective, and environmentally sound water supply alternative within the watershed to which the water will be transferred, including conservation of existing water supplies as determined under par. (g).

SB523,107,17 c. If the water will be used for public water supply purposes, the proposal is consistent with an approved water supply service area plan under s. 281.348 that covers the public water supply system.

SB523,107,18 d. The department provides notice of the proposal to the other parties.

SB523,107,22 3. The department may approve a proposal under par. (b) for a new intrabasin transfer or an increase in an intrabasin transfer to which par. (c) does not apply with a new water loss or an increase in water loss that would average 5,000,000 gallons per day or more in any 90-day period, if all of the following apply:

SB523,107,23 a. The proposal meets the exception standard under par. (f).

SB523,108,2 b. The applicant demonstrates that there is no feasible, cost-effective, and environmentally sound water supply alternative within the watershed to which the water will be transferred, including conservation of existing water supplies as determined under par. (g).

SB523,108,5 c. If the water will be used for public water supply purposes, the proposal is consistent with an approved water supply service area plan under s. 281.348 that covers the public water supply system.

SB523,108,6 d. The department conducts a technical review.

SB523,108,8 e. The department notifies the regional body as required in s. 281.343 (4h) (b) 1.

SB523,108,9 f. The proposal undergoes regional review.

SB523,108,11 g. The department considers the regional declaration of finding in determining whether to approve the proposal.

SB523,108,12 h. The proposal is approved by the Great Lakes council.

SB523,108,16 (e) Straddling counties. 1. The department may approve a proposal under par. (b) for a new diversion or an increase in a diversion if the water diverted will be used solely for public water supply purposes in a community within a straddling county and all of the following apply:

SB523,108,20 a. The community does not have a water supply that is economically and environmentally sustainable in the long term to meet reasonable demands for a water supply, based on considerations of public health, economic feasibility, and direct and avoided environmental impacts.

SB523,108,21 b. The proposal meets the exception standard under par. (f).

SB523,108,25 c. The proposal maximizes the amount of water withdrawn from the Great Lakes basin that will be returned to the source watershed and minimizes the amount of water from outside the Great Lakes basin that will be returned to the source watershed.

SB523,109,3 d. There is no reasonable water supply alternative within the watershed in which the community is located, including conservation of existing water supplies as determined under par. (g).

SB523,109,6 e. The proposal will not endanger the integrity of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem based upon a determination that the proposal will have no significant adverse impact on the Great Lakes basin ecosystem.

SB523,109,8 em. The proposal is consistent with an approved water supply service area plan under s. 281.348 that covers the public water supply system.

SB523,109,9 f. The department conducts a technical review.

SB523,109,11 g. The department notifies the regional body as required in s. 281.343 (4h) (b) 1.

SB523,109,12 h. The proposal undergoes regional review.

SB523,109,14 i. The department considers the regional declaration of finding in determining whether to approve the proposal.

SB523,109,15 j. The proposal is approved by the Great Lakes council.

SB523,109,20 2. In determining whether to approve a proposal under this paragraph, the department shall give substantive consideration to whether the applicant provides sufficient scientifically based evidence that the existing water supply is derived from groundwater that is hydrologically interconnected to waters of the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,109,22 (f) Exception standard. A proposal meets the exception standard if all of the following apply:

SB523,109,25 1. The need for the proposed diversion cannot reasonably be avoided through the efficient use and conservation of existing water supplies as determined under par. (g).

SB523,110,2 2. The diversion is limited to quantities that are reasonable for the purposes for which the diversion is proposed.

SB523,110,5 3. An amount of water equal to the amount of water withdrawn from the Great Lakes basin will be returned to the source watershed, less an allowance for consumptive use.

SB523,110,8 3m. The place at which the water is returned to the source watershed is as close as practicable to the place at which the water is withdrawn, unless the applicant demonstrates that returning the water at that place is one of the following:

SB523,110,9 a. Not economically feasible.

SB523,110,10 b. Not environmentally sound.

SB523,110,11 c. Not in the interest of public health.

SB523,110,13 4. No water from outside the Great Lakes basin will be returned to the source watershed unless all of the following apply:

SB523,110,15 a. The returned water is from a water supply or wastewater treatment system that combines water from inside and outside the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,110,18 b. The returned water will be treated to meet applicable permit requirements under s. 283.31 and to prevent the introduction of invasive species into the Great Lakes basin and the department has approved the permit under s. 283.31.

SB523,110,21 c. The structure used to return the water is designed and will be operated to meet the applicable permit requirements under s. 30.12 and the department has approved the permit under s. 30.12.

SB523,111,2 4m. If water will be returned to the source watershed through a stream tributary to one of the Great Lakes, the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the receiving water under subd. 3. will be protected and sustained as required under ss. 30.12, 281.15, and 283.31, considering the state of the receiving water before the proposal is implemented and considering both low and high flow conditions.

SB523,111,8 5. The diversion will result in no significant adverse individual impacts or cumulative impacts to the quantity or quality of the waters of the Great Lakes basin or to water dependent natural resources, including cumulative impacts that might result due to any precedent-setting aspects of the proposed diversion, based upon a determination that the proposed diversion will not have any significant adverse impacts on the sustainable management of the waters of the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,111,11 6. The applicant commits to implementing the applicable water conservation measures under sub. (8) (d) that are environmentally sound and economically feasible for the applicant.

SB523,111,14 7. The diversion will be in compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws and interstate and international agreements, including the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.

SB523,111,20 (g) Conservation and efficient use of existing water supplies. The department shall promulgate rules specifying the requirements for an applicant for a new or increased diversion subject to par. (f) to demonstrate the efficient use and conservation of existing water supplies for the purposes of pars. (d) 2. b. and 3. b., (e) 1. d., and (f) 1., including requiring the applicant to quantify the amount of water conserved through efficiency and conservation measures.

SB523,111,24 (i) Diversion amount. In an approval issued under this subsection or a modification granted under this subsection to increase the amount of a diversion, the department shall specify a diversion amount equal to the quantity of water that is reasonable for the purposes for which the diversion is proposed.

SB523,112,5 (4m) Water use permits required in the Great Lakes basin. (a) A person may not make a withdrawal from the Great Lakes basin that averages 100,000 gallons per day or more in any 30-day period unless the withdrawal is covered under a general permit issued under sub. (4s) or s. 281.344 (4s) or an individual permit issued under sub. (5) or s. 281.344 (5).

SB523,112,11 (4s) General water use permits for Great Lakes basin. (a) Department to issue. The department shall issue one or more general permits to cover withdrawals from the Great Lakes basin that average 100,000 gallons per day or more in any 30-day period but that do not equal at least 1,000,000 gallons per day for any 30 consecutive days. The department shall include all of the following in a general permit:

SB523,112,12 1. Reference to the database of withdrawal amounts under par. (i).

SB523,112,14 2. Requirements for reporting, metering, and surveillance, as provided in rules promulgated by the department.

SB523,112,16 3. Requirements for water conservation, as provided in rules promulgated by the department under sub. (8) (d).

SB523,112,20 4. Other conditions, limitations, or restrictions, as provided in rules promulgated by the department, that the department determines are necessary to protect the environment or public health and safety or to ensure the conservation and proper management of the waters of the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,112,22 (am) Term of general permit. The term of a general permit issued under par. (a) is 10 years.