SB523: Bill Text

SB523,136,19 (b) Statewide program. In cooperation with the department of commerce and the public service commission, the department shall develop and implement a statewide water conservation and efficiency program that includes all of the following:

SB523,136,21 1. Promotion of environmentally sound and economically feasible water conservation measures.

SB523,136,23 2. Water conservation and efficiency measures that the public service commission requires or authorizes a water utility to implement under ch. 196.

SB523,136,25 3. Water conservation and efficiency measures that the department of commerce requires or authorizes to be implemented under chs. 101 and 145.

SB523,137,9 (c) Great Lakes basin program. No later than the 24th month beginning after the compact's effective date, the department shall implement a Great Lakes basin water conservation and efficiency program as part of the statewide program under par. (b), for all users of the waters of the Great Lakes basin, that is designed to achieve the goals and objectives for the waters of the Great Lakes basin that are specified under par. (a). The department shall include in the Great Lakes basin program the activities in par. (b) 1. to 3. applicable in the Great Lakes basin and application of the water conservation and efficiency measures specified under par. (d) in subs. (4) (f) 6. and (g) and (6) (c).

SB523,137,14 (d) Water conservation and efficiency measures. The department shall promulgate rules specifying water conservation and efficiency measures for the purposes of this section. In the rules, the department may not require retrofitting of existing fixtures, appliances, or equipment. The department shall specify measures based on all of the following:

SB523,137,18 1. The amount and type of diversion, withdrawal, or consumptive use and whether the diversion, withdrawal, or consumptive use exists on the first day of the 84th month beginning after the effective date of this subdivision .... [revisor inserts date], or the compact's effective date, whichever is earlier, is expanded, or is new.

SB523,137,20 2. The results of any pilot water conservation program conducted by the department in cooperation with the regional body.

SB523,137,21 3. The results of any assessments under sub. (11) (d).

SB523,137,25 (9) Tribal consultation; public participation. (a) Tribal consultation. The department shall consult with a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state concerning a proposal that may affect the tribe or band and that is subject to regional review or Great Lakes council approval under sub. (4) or (5).

SB523,138,8 (b) Public Notice. 1. The department shall, by rule, create procedures for circulating to interested and potentially interested members of the public notices of each complete application that the department receives under sub. (5), other than an application from a person operating a public water supply system that is covered by an approved water supply service area plan under s. 281.348, and each complete application that the department receives under sub. (4) and of each general permit that the department proposes to issue under sub. (4s) (a). The department shall include, in the rule, at least the following procedures:

SB523,138,9 a. Publication of the notice as a class 1 notice under ch. 985.

SB523,138,11 b. Mailing of the notice to any person, group, local governmental unit, or state agency upon request.

SB523,138,14 2. The department shall establish the form and content of a public notice by rule. The department shall include in every public notice concerning an application to which subd. 1. applies at least the following information:

SB523,138,15 a. The name and address of each applicant.

SB523,138,17 b. A brief description of the proposal for which the application is made, including the amount of the proposed withdrawal or diversion.

SB523,138,20 c. A brief description of the procedures for the formulation of final determinations on applications, including the 30-day comment period required under par. (c).

SB523,139,2 (c) Public comment. The department shall receive public comments on a proposal for which it receives an application to which par. (b) 1. applies or on a proposed general permit under sub. (4s) (a) for a 30-day period beginning when the department gives notice under par. (b) 1. The department shall retain all written comments submitted during the comment period and shall consider the comments in making its decisions on the application.

SB523,139,13 (d) Public hearing. 1. The department shall provide an opportunity for any interested person or group of persons, any affected local governmental unit, or any state agency to request a public hearing with respect to a proposal for which the department receives an application under to which par. (b) 1. applies or on a proposed general permit under sub. (4s) (a). A request for a public hearing shall be filed with the department within 30 days after the department gives notice under par. (b). The party filing a request for a public hearing shall indicate the interest of the party and the reasons why a hearing is warranted. The department shall hold a public hearing on a proposal for which the department receives an application to which par. (b) 1. applies or on a proposed general permit under sub. (4s) (a) if the department determines that there is a significant public interest in holding a hearing.

SB523,139,16 2. The department shall promulgate, by rule, procedures for the conduct of public hearings held under this paragraph. A hearing held under this paragraph is not a contested case hearing under ch. 227.

SB523,139,18 3. The department shall circulate public notice of any hearing held under this paragraph in the manner provided under par. (b) 1.

SB523,140,8 (e) Public access to information. Any record or other information provided to or obtained by the department regarding a proposal for which an application under sub. (4) or (5) is received is a public record as provided in subch. II of ch. 19. The department shall make available to and provide facilities for the public to inspect and copy any records or other information provided to or obtained by the department regarding a proposal for which an application for a new or increased diversion or withdrawal under sub. (4) or (5) is received, except that any record or other information provided to the department may be treated as confidential upon a showing to the secretary that the record or information is entitled to protection as a trade secret, as defined in s. 134.90 (1) (c), or upon a determination by the department that domestic security concerns warrant confidential treatment. Nothing in this subsection prevents the use of any confidential records or information obtained by the department in the administration of this section in compiling or publishing general analyses or summaries, if the analyses or summaries do not identify a specific owner or operator.

SB523,140,12 (h) Expediting review. The department shall take appropriate measures to expedite, to the extent feasible, applicable reviews by the regional body, Great Lakes council, parties, and the provinces of Ontario and Quebec of applications under this section that are subject to regional review.

SB523,140,18 (10m) Amendment of coastal management program. (a) The Wisconsin coastal management council, created under s. 14.019, shall amend this state's coastal management program submitted to the U.S. secretary of commerce under 16 USC 1455, to incorporate the requirements of this section, as they apply to the water resources of the Great Lakes basin, and shall formally submit the proposed amendments to the U.S. secretary of commerce.

SB523,140,22 (b) After approval of the amendments submitted to the U.S. secretary of commerce under par. (a), the Wisconsin coastal management council shall, when conducting federal consistency reviews under 16 USC 1456 (c), consider the requirements specified under par. (a), if applicable.

SB523,141,2 (c) If the department issues a permit for a withdrawal to which this section applies, and the withdrawal is subject to a federal consistency review under 16 USC 1456 (c), the Wisconsin coastal management council shall certify that the withdrawal is consistent with this state's coastal management program.

SB523,141,11 (11) Information, reports, and assessments. (a) Statewide inventory. 1. The department shall develop and maintain a water resources inventory consisting of information about the waters of the state including information about the location, type, quantity, and uses of water resources and the location, and type of diversions, withdrawals, and consumptive uses and quantities of withdrawals and water losses. The department shall develop the inventory in cooperation with federal and local governmental entities, agencies of this state and of the other parties, tribal agencies, and private entities. The department shall use information in the registry under sub. (3) (c) in creating the inventory.

SB523,141,15 2. The department shall create the water resources inventory under subd. 1. no later than the first day of the 72nd month beginning after the effective date of this subdivision .... [revisor inserts date], or the first day of the 60th month beginning after the compact's effective date whichever is later.

SB523,141,21 (b) Annual report on water resources. Beginning within 60 months after the compact's effective date, the department shall annually report to the Great Lakes council the information from par. (a) regarding withdrawals that average 100,000 gallons per day or more over a 30-day period, including consumptive uses, in the basin and any diversions, as well as the amounts of the withdrawals, water losses from consumptive uses, and diversions in the basin reported under sub. (3) (e).

SB523,142,2 (c) Program report. No later than 12 months after the compact's effective date, and every 5 years thereafter, the department shall submit a report to the Great Lakes council and the regional body describing the implementation of the program under this section, including the manner in which withdrawals from the Great Lakes basin are managed, how the criteria for approval under subs. (4), (5), and (6) are applied, and how conservation and efficiency measures are implemented.

SB523,142,12 (d) Assessment of water conservation and efficiency program. After the compact's effective date, the department shall annually assess the effectiveness of the water conservation and efficiency program under sub. (8) (c) in meeting the Great Lakes basin water conservation and efficiency goals under sub. (8) (a). In each assessment, the department shall consider whether there is a need to adjust the Great Lakes basin water conservation and efficiency program in response to new demands for water from the basin and the potential impacts of the cumulative effects of diversions, withdrawals, and consumptive uses and of climate. The department shall provide the assessment to the Great Lakes council and the regional body and make it available to the public.

SB523,142,15 (e) Assessment of cumulative impacts. The department shall participate in the periodic assessment of the impacts of withdrawals, diversions, and consumptive uses under s. 281.343 (4z) (a).

SB523,142,19 (f) Report on threshold. No later than the 60th month beginning after the compact's effective date, the department shall submit to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) a report analyzing the impact of the threshold under sub. (5) (a) and providing any recommendations to change the threshold.

SB523,142,23 (14) Penalties. (a) Any person who violates this section or any rule promulgated or approval issued under this section shall forfeit not less than $10 nor more than $10,000 for each violation. Each day of continued violation is a separate offense.

SB523,143,2 (c) In addition to the penalties under par. (a), the court may order the defendant to abate any nuisance, restore a natural resource, or take, or refrain from taking, any other action as necessary to eliminate or minimize any environmental damage caused by the defendant.

SB523, s. 12 Section 12. 281.348 of the statutes is created to read:

SB523,143,5 281.348 Regional water supply service area plans for public water supply systems. (1) Definitions. In this section:

SB523,143,7 (a) "Compact's effective date" means the effective date of the Great Lakes—St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact under s. 281.343 (9) (d).

SB523,143,11 (b) "Cost-effectiveness analysis" means a systematic comparison of alternative means of providing a water supply in order to identify the alternative that will minimize total resources costs and maximize environmental benefits over a planning period.

SB523,143,13 (c) "Great Lakes basin" means the watershed of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River upstream from Trois—Rivieres, Quebec.

SB523,143,17 (d) "Public water supply" means water distributed to the public through a physically connected system of treatment, storage, and distribution facilities that serve a group of largely residential customers and that may also serve industrial, commercial, and other institutional customers.

SB523,143,19 (e) "Total resources costs" includes monetary costs and direct and indirect environmental as well as other nonmonetary costs.

SB523,143,20 (f) "Withdraw" means to take water from surface water or groundwater.

SB523,143,23 (g) "Withdrawal" means the taking of water from surface water or groundwater, including the taking of surface water or groundwater for the purpose of bottling the water.

SB523,144,3 (2) Determinations concerning applicability of requirements. (a) For the purposes of this section, the surface water divide is used to determine whether a withdrawal of surface water or groundwater is from the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,144,6 (b) For the purposes of this section, the withdrawal of water from more than one source within the Great Lakes basin to supply a common distribution system is considered one withdrawal.

SB523,144,11 (3) Requirements. (a) 1. The department shall establish and administer a continuing water supply planning process for the preparation of water supply plans for persons operating public water supply systems. The period covered by a plan under this subsection may not exceed 20 years. A regional planning commission may prepare plans for persons operating public water supply systems.

SB523,144,14 2. A person operating a public water supply system that serves a population of 10,000 or more and that withdraws water from the waters of the state shall have an approved plan under this section no later than December 31, 2025.

SB523,144,16 (b) The department shall include in the process under par. (a) procedures and requirements for all of the following:

SB523,144,20 1. Public review and comment on a proposed plan. For a plan submitted after the compact's effective date covering a public water supply system that withdraws water from the Great Lakes basin, the procedures and requirements under this subdivision shall be consistent with s. 281.343 (6) (b).

SB523,144,23 2. Approval of a plan by the governing body of each city, village, and town whose public water supply is addressed by the plan before the plan is submitted to the department.

SB523,144,24 2m. Approval of a plan by the department.

SB523,144,25 3. Ensuring that plans remain current.

SB523,145,1 4. Intergovernmental cooperation.

SB523,145,3 5. Reopening or reconsideration by the department of a previously approved plan.

SB523,145,5 (c) A person preparing a plan under par. (a) shall include all of the following in the plan:

SB523,145,8 1. Delineation of the area for which the plan is being prepared and proposed water service areas for each public water supply system making a withdrawal covered by the plan.

SB523,145,10 2. An inventory of the sources and quantities of the current water supplies in the area.

SB523,145,12 3. A forecast of the demand for water in the area over the period covered by the plan.

SB523,145,15 3m. Identification of the existing population and population density of the area for which the plan is prepared and forecasts of the expected population and population density of the area during the period covered by the plan.

SB523,145,19 4. Identification of the options for supplying water in the area for the period covered by the plan that are approvable under other applicable statutes and rules and that are cost-effective based upon a cost-effectiveness analysis of regional and individual water supply and water conservation alternatives.

SB523,145,21 5. An assessment of the environmental, social, and economic impacts of carrying out specific significant recommendations of the plan.

SB523,145,23 6. A demonstration that the plan will effectively maximize the use of existing water supply and wastewater infrastructure.

SB523,145,25 7. Identification of the procedures for implementing and enforcing the plan and a commitment to using those procedures.

SB523,146,3 8. An analysis of how the plan supports and is consistent with any applicable comprehensive plans, as defined in s. 66.1001 (1) (a), and applicable approved areawide water quality management plans under s. 283.83.

SB523,146,4 9. Other information specified by the department.

SB523,146,6 (d) The department may not approve a plan under this subsection unless all of the following apply:

SB523,146,10 1. The plan provides for the most cost-effective water supply system that is approvable under this section and other applicable statutes and rules based on a cost-effectiveness analysis of regional and individual water supply and water conservation alternatives.

SB523,146,12 2. The plan will effectively maximize the use of existing water supply and wastewater infrastructure.

SB523,146,14 3. The plan is consistent with any applicable comprehensive plans, as defined in s. 66.1001 (1) (a).

SB523,146,17 4. The plan is consistent with any applicable approved areawide water quality management plans under s. 283.83 and those plans were updated within 5 years before the proposed plan is submitted to the department.

SB523,146,20 5. Beginning on the compact's effective date, if the plan covers a public water supply system that withdraws water from the Great Lakes basin, the plan complies with any applicable requirements in s. 281.346 (5e).

SB523,146,23 (e) The department shall specify in a plan under this section a water supply service area for each public water supply system making a withdrawal covered by the plan.

SB523,147,3 (f) A person applying for an approval under s. 281.344 (4) or 281.346 (4) may use elements of an approved plan under this subsection to show compliance with requirements under s. 281.344 (4) or 281.346 (4) to which the plan is relevant.

SB523,147,7 (4) Withdrawal amount in certain plans. In a plan under this section that covers a public water supply system making a withdrawal from the Great Lakes basin, the department shall specify a withdrawal amount for the public water supply system equal to the greatest of the following:

SB523,147,11 (a) The amount needed for the public water supply system to provide a public water supply in the water supply service area in the plan during the period covered by the plan, as determined using the population and related service projections in the plan.

SB523,147,18 (b) If the withdrawal is covered by an individual permit issued under s. 281.344 (5) or 281.346 (5) when the department approves the plan, the withdrawal amount in that permit when the department approves the plan or, if the withdrawal is covered by a general permit issued under s. 281.344 (4s) or 281.346 (4s) when the department approves the plan, the withdrawal amount for the public water supply system in the database under s. 281.346 (4s) (i) when the department approves the plan.

SB523, s. 13 Section 13. 281.35 (1) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB523,147,23 281.35 (1) (b) 2. If subd. 1. does not apply, the highest average daily water loss over any 30-day period that is reported to the department or the public service commission under sub. (3) (c) or s. 30.18 (6) (c), 196.98, 281.34, or 281.41 or s. 281.17 (1), 2001 stats.

SB523, s. 14 Section 14. 281.35 (1) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:

SB523,148,2 281.35 (1) (bm) "Compact's effective date" means the effective date of the Great Lakes—St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact under s. 281.343.

SB523, s. 15 Section 15. 281.35 (2) (a) of the statutes is repealed.

SB523, s. 16 Section 16. 281.35 (2) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 281.35 (2).

SB523, s. 17 Section 17. 281.35 (3) of the statutes is repealed.

SB523, s. 18 Section 18. 281.35 (4) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB523,148,8 281.35 (4) (a) (intro.) This Except as provided in par. (c), this subsection applies to all of the following:

SB523, s. 19 Section 19. 281.35 (4) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

SB523,148,11 281.35 (4) (c) After the compact's effective date, this subsection does not apply to a person who withdraws water from the Great Lakes basin.

SB523, s. 20 Section 20. 281.35 (5) (a) 13. of the statutes is amended to read: