AB463: Bill Text

AB463,29,3 (d) Mitigation required. The department shall require mitigation under the program established under sub. (3r) for wetland individual permits it issues under this subsection.

AB463, s. 86 Section 86. 281.36 (3p) of the statutes is created to read:

AB463,29,8 281.36 (3p) Notice requirements; wetland individual permits. (a) The department shall establish procedures for providing notices of pending applications and notices of public informational hearings to be provided under sub. (3m). The procedures shall require all of the following:

AB463,29,9 1. That the notice be published as a class 1 notice under ch. 985.

AB463,29,11 2. That the notice be mailed to any person or group upon request of the person or group.

AB463,29,12 3. That the notice be published on the department's Internet Web site.

AB463,29,15 (b) The department shall prescribe the form and content of notices of pending applications and notices of public informational hearings to be provided under sub. (3m). Each notice shall include all of the following information:

AB463,29,16 1. The name and address of the applicant.

AB463,29,18 2. A brief description of the discharge that requires the permit and the project that includes the discharge.

AB463,29,20 3. For a notice of a public informational hearing, the time, date, and location of the hearing.

AB463,29,24 4. For a notice of pending application and a notice of a public informational hearing, a brief, precise, easily understandable, plain-language description of the discharge and information indicating where the pending application may be viewed on the department's Internet Web site.

AB463,30,2 5. For a notice of complete application and a notice of a public informational hearing, a statement of the tentative determination of the department on the permit.

AB463,30,6 6. For a notice of complete application and a notice of public informational hearing, a brief description of the procedures for the formulation of final determinations, including a description of the comment period required under sub. (3m) (j).

AB463,30,14 (c) For the purpose of determining the date on which notice is provided under this subsection, the date of the notice shall be the date on which the department first publishes the notice on its Internet Web site, unless the department delegates to the applicant under par. (d) the requirement to provide notice. If the department delegates to the applicant the requirement to provide notice, the date of the notice shall be the date on which the department first publishes the notice on its Internet Web site or 10 days after the date on which the department receives satisfactory proof of publication of a class 1 notice from the applicant, whichever is later.

AB463,30,17 (d) The department may delegate the department's requirement to provide notice under sub. (3m) in the manner specified in par. (a) 1. and 2. by doing any of the following:

AB463,30,19 1. Requiring that the applicant for the permit provide by publication, mailing, or other distribution one or more of the notices.

AB463,30,21 2. Requiring that the applicant for the permit pay for the publication, mailing, or any other distribution costs of providing one or more of the notices.

AB463, s. 87 Section 87. 281.36 (3r) of the statutes is created to read:

AB463,31,2 281.36 (3r) Mitigation; in lieu fee subprogram. (a) The department shall establish a mitigation program that applies only to the issuance of wetland individual permits and that allows mitigation to be accomplished by any of the following methods:

AB463,31,3 1. Purchasing credits from a mitigation bank located in this state.

AB463,31,5 2. Participating in the in lieu fee subprogram, if such a subprogram is established under par. (e).

AB463,31,7 3. Completing mitigation within the same watershed or within one-half mile of the site of the discharge.

AB463,31,10 (b) Under the mitigation program, mitigation as specified in par. (a) 1. and participation in the in lieu fee subprogram, if established under par. (a) 2. shall be the preferred types of mitigation.

AB463,31,14 (c) The department shall establish a system of service areas for the mitigation banks under the mitigation program that is geographically based on the locations of the major watersheds in the state. The system shall be consistent with federal regulations.

AB463,31,18 (d) The department shall establish under the mitigation program mitigation ratios that are consistent with the federal regulations that apply to mitigation and mitigation banks but the minimum ratio shall be at least 1.2 acres for each acre affected by the discharge.

AB463,32,4 (e) As part of the mitigation program established under par. (a), the department may establish an in lieu fee subprogram, in consultation with the army corps of engineers, under which payments are made to the department or another entity for the purposes of restoring, enhancing, creating, or preserving wetlands or other water resource features. The department shall establish requirements for calculating the in lieu fee payments. Under the in lieu fee subprogram, the wetlands that benefit from the program shall be open to the public for hunting, fishing, trapping, cross-country skiing, or hiking or any combination thereof, but the department may establish reasonable restrictions on the use of the land by the public in order to protect public safety or to protect a unique plant or animal community. The subprogram shall be consistent with federal regulations.

AB463, s. 88 Section 88. 281.36 (4) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB463,32,8 281.36 (4) Exemptions. (intro.) Except as provided in sub. (5), the certification permitting requirement under sub. (2) (3b) does not apply to any discharge that is the result of any of the following activities:

AB463, s. 89 Section 89. 281.36 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB463,32,11 281.36 (4) (b) Maintenance, emergency repair, or reconstruction of damaged parts of structures that are in use in a nonfederal wetland.

AB463, s. 90 Section 90. 281.36 (4) (e) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB463,32,14 281.36 (4) (e) 1. That the flow and circulation patterns and chemical and biological characteristics of the affected nonfederal wetland are not impaired.

AB463, s. 91 Section 91. 281.36 (4) (e) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB463,32,17 281.36 (4) (e) 2. That the reach of the affected nonfederal wetland is not reduced.

AB463, s. 92 Section 92. 281.36 (4) (e) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB463,32,20 281.36 (4) (e) 3. That any adverse effect on the aquatic environment of the affected nonfederal wetland is minimized to the degree required by the department.

AB463, s. 93 Section 93. 281.36 (5) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB463,33,2 281.36 (5) Inapplicability of exemptions. (intro.) Notwithstanding sub. (4), a discharge that would be exempt under sub. (4) is subject to the certification permitting requirement under sub. (2) (3b) if the discharge is incidental to an activity that has as its purpose bringing a nonfederal wetland, or part of a nonfederal wetland, into a use for which it was not previously subject and if the activity may do any of the following:

AB463, s. 94 Section 94. 281.36 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB463,33,4 281.36 (5) (a) Impair the flow or circulation of any nonfederal wetland.

AB463, s. 95 Section 95. 281.36 (5) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB463,33,6 281.36 (5) (b) Reduce the reach of any nonfederal wetland.

AB463, s. 96 Section 96. 281.36 (6) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB463,33,9 281.36 (6) (a) 1. Make the rules consistent with existing federal law or interpretation.

AB463, s. 97 Section 97. 281.36 (7) of the statutes is repealed.

AB463, s. 98 Section 98. 281.36 (8) (title) of the statutes is repealed.

AB463, s. 99 Section 99. 281.36 (8) (a) of the statutes is repealed.

AB463, s. 100 Section 100. 281.36 (8) (b) of the statutes is repealed.

AB463, s. 101 Section 101. 281.36 (8) (bn) 1. of the statutes is renumbered 281.36 (3g) (b) and amended to read:

AB463,33,22 281.36 (3g) (b) Additional required permits. The In addition to the wetland general permits required under par. (a), the department shall issue wetland general water quality certifications permits that are consistent with all of the, and correspond to, any general permits that are issued under 33 USC 1344 (e) that applied on January 8, 2001, to nonfederal wetlands located in this state and that regulate discharges other than those regulated under the required wetland general permits issued under par. (a).

AB463, s. 102 Section 102. 281.36 (8) (bn) 2. of the statutes is repealed.

AB463, s. 103 Section 103. 281.36 (8) (c) of the statutes is repealed.

AB463, s. 104 Section 104. 281.36 (8) (d) of the statutes is repealed.

AB463, s. 105 Section 105. 281.36 (8) (e) of the statutes is repealed.

AB463, s. 106 Section 106. 281.36 (9) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB463,34,8 281.36 (9) (a) (intro.) For purposes of determining whether to issue a wetland individual permit, whether authorization to proceed as authorized under a wetland general permit is appropriate, or whether an exemption under sub. (4) is appropriate, and for purposes of enforcing this section, any employee or other representative of the department, upon presenting his or her credentials, may do any of the following:

AB463, s. 107 Section 107. 281.36 (9) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB463,34,12 281.36 (9) (a) 1. Enter and inspect any property on which is located a nonfederal wetland, or part of a nonfederal wetland, for which an application for a water quality certification has been submitted to the department under sub. (3g) or (3m).

AB463, s. 108 Section 108. 281.36 (9) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB463,34,16 281.36 (9) (a) 2. Enter and inspect any property on which is located a nonfederal wetland to investigate a discharge of dredged or fill material that the department has reason to believe is in violation of this section.

AB463, s. 109 Section 109. 281.36 (9) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB463,34,21 281.36 (9) (a) 3. Gain access to and inspect any records that the department requires a holder of a water quality certification to wetland individual permit or a person acting under the authority of a wetland general permit is required by the department to keep.

AB463, s. 110 Section 110. 281.36 (9) (am) to (c) of the statutes are repealed.

AB463, s. 111 Section 111. 281.36 (9) (d) and (e) of the statutes are created to read:

AB463,34,25 281.36 (9) (d) The department shall provide reasonable advance notice to the property owner before entering and inspecting property as authorized under par (a).

AB463,35,2 (e) If the owner of the property refuses to give consent for the entry and inspection, the department may do any of the following:

AB463,35,3 1. Apply for, obtain, and execute a special inspection warrant under s. 66.0119.

AB463,35,5 2. Deny an application for a wetland individual permit or deny authorization to proceed under a wetland general permit.

AB463, s. 112 Section 112. 281.36 (10) (intro.) and (a) of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 281.36 (10) and amended to read:

AB463,35,15 281.36 (10) Other Additional requirements. The requirement of being issued a wetland individual permit or proceeding under the authority of a wetland general permit under this section is in addition to any permit or other approval required by the department for a project or activity that involves a discharge into a wetland. This section does not affect the authority of the department to do any of the following: (a) Regulate otherwise regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material in a nonfederal wetland under ss. 59.692, 61.351, 62.231, 87.30, 281.11 to 281.35, 281.41 to 281.47, or 281.49 to 281.85 or ch. 30, 31, 283, 289, 291, 292, 293, 295, or 299.

AB463, s. 113 Section 113. 281.36 (10) (b) of the statutes is repealed.

AB463, s. 114 Section 114. 281.36 (11) of the statutes is created to read:

AB463,36,2 281.36 (11) Restoration; surcharge fee. (a) The department shall set a surcharge fee to be charged for each application to proceed under a wetland general permit that is issued under sub. (3g) (a) 4., 5., or 6. The surcharge fee shall be set on an annual basis by the department and may not exceed more than 50 percent of the market price, as determined by the department, for the equivalent purchase of credits from a mitigation bank. These fees shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.370 (4) (bm) for the restoration and creation of wetlands. The department may enter into agreements with other entities for the restoration and creation of such wetlands.

AB463,36,7 (b) Any wetland that is restored or created using funding from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (4) (bm) shall be open to the public for hunting, fishing, trapping, cross-country skiing, or hiking or any combination thereof, but the department may establish reasonable restrictions on the use of the land by the public in order to protect public safety or to protect a unique plant or animal community.

AB463, s. 115 Section 115. 281.36 (12) (a) of the statutes is created to read:

AB463,36,14 281.36 (12) (a) Fees required. The department shall charge a fee for reviewing, investigating, and making decisions on applications to proceed under wetland general permits under sub. (3g) and on applications for wetland individual permits under sub. (3m). For an authorization to proceed under a wetland general permit, the application fee shall be $500. For a wetland individual permit, the application fee shall be $800.

AB463, s. 116 Section 116. 281.36 (12) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB463,36,18 281.36 (12) (b) Additional fee. The department may set and charge a fee in the amount necessary to meet the costs incurred by the department in reviewing mitigation that is conducted by mitigation banks.

AB463, s. 117 Section 117. 281.36 (13) of the statutes is created to read:

AB463,36,24 281.36 (13) Parties to a violation. (a) Whoever is concerned in the commission of a violation of this section for which a forfeiture is imposed is a principal and may be charged and found in violation although he or she did not directly commit the violation and although the person who directly committed it has not been found in violation.

AB463,37,2 (b) A person is concerned in the commission of the violation if the person does any of the following:

AB463,37,3 1. Directly commits the violation.

AB463,37,4 2. Aids and abets the commission of the violation.

AB463,37,6 3. Is a party to a conspiracy with another to commit the violation or advises, hires, counsels, or otherwise procures any person to commit it.

AB463, s. 118 Section 118. 281.36 (14) of the statutes is created to read:

AB463,37,11 281.36 (14) Penalties. (a) Except as provided in par. (b), any person who violates any provision of this section shall forfeit not less than $100 nor more than $10,000 for the first offense and shall forfeit not less than $500 nor more than $10,000 upon being found in violation of the same offense a 2nd or subsequent time.

AB463,37,15 (b) Any person who violates a wetland general permit issued under sub. (3g) shall forfeit not less than $10 nor more than $500 for the first offense and shall forfeit not less than $50 nor more than $500 upon being found in violation of the same offense a 2nd or subsequent time.

AB463,37,18 (c) A violation of any condition contained in a wetland general permit issued under sub. (3g) is a violation of the statute under which the general permit was issued.

AB463,37,22 (d) In addition to the forfeitures specified under pars. (a) and (b), a court may order a 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.