LRB-4419/1
MCP:ahe
2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE
January 29, 2016 - Introduced by Representatives Kitchens, Ballweg,
Horlacher, Krug, Nerison, Novak and A. Ott, cosponsored by Senator
Cowles. Referred to Committee on Environment and Forestry.
AB822,1,2
1An Act to amend 281.75 (4m) (a), 281.75 (7) (a) and 281.75 (7) (b) of the statutes;
2relating to: income limits and award limits for contaminated well grants.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill increases the limits on family income and grant awards under this
state's well compensation grant program.
Under current law, an individual owner or renter of a contaminated private well
may apply for a grant from the Department of Natural Resources to cover a portion
of the costs to treat the water, reconstruct the well, construct a new well, connect to
a public water supply, or fill and seal (abandon) the well. To be eligible for a grant
the well owner or renter's annual family income may not exceed $65,000. A grant
awarded under the program may not exceed 75 percent of a project's eligible costs and
may not cover any part of a project's eligible costs that exceeds $12,000, which means
that a grant may not exceed $9,000. In addition, if the well owner or renter's annual
family income exceeds $45,000, the amount of the award is reduced by 30 percent of
the amount by which the annual family income exceeds $45,000.
This bill increases the family income limit to $90,000 and increases the grant
award limit to 75 percent of $16,000, which means that a grant under the bill may
not exceed $12,000. The bill also increases the amount of annual family income that
triggers a reduction of an award to $65,000.
For further information see the state 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:
AB822,1
1Section
1. 281.75 (4m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB822,2,52
281.75
(4m) (a) In order to be eligible for an award under this section, the
3annual family income of the landowner or lessee of property on which is located a
4contaminated water supply or a well subject to abandonment may not exceed
$65,000 5$90,000.
AB822,2
6Section
2. 281.75 (7) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB822,2,127
281.75
(7) (a) If the department finds that the claimant meets all the
8requirements of this section and rules promulgated under this section and that the
9private water supply is contaminated or that the well is a well subject to
10abandonment, the department shall issue an award. The award may not pay more
11than 75% of the eligible costs. The award may not pay any portion of eligible costs
12in excess of
$12,000 $16,000.
AB822,3
13Section
3. 281.75 (7) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB822,2,1614
281.75
(7) (b) If the annual family income of the claimant exceeds
$45,000 15$65,000, the amount of the award is the amount determined under par. (a) less 30%
16of the amount by which the claimant's income exceeds
$45,000 $65,000.
