SB722: Bill Text

SB722,2 Section 2. 20.285 (1) (ar) of the statutes is created to read:

SB722,3,4 20.285 (1) (ar) Center for Watershed Science and Education. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule to support the operations of the Center for Watershed Science and Education. This paragraph does not apply after June 30, 2024.

SB722,3 Section 3. 20.285 (1) (em) of the statutes is created to read:

SB722,3,7 20.285 (1) (em) Geological and natural history survey hydrogeologist. The amounts in the schedule for the position created under s. 36.25 (6) (f).

SB722,4 Section 4 . 20.370 (6) (ca) of the statutes is created to read:

SB722,3,11 20.370 (6) (ca) Environmental aids — county grants for testing wells. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule to provide grants to counties for testing privately owned wells and providing education under s. 281.73.

SB722,5 Section 5. 36.25 (6) (f) of the statutes is created to read:

SB722,4,6 36.25 (6) (f) The Board of Regents shall create one full-time hydrogeologist project position for 3 years for the geological and natural history survey to be funded from the appropriation under s. 20.285 (1) (em). The position shall focus on developing groundwater resource information primarily at county or local scales and assisting state and local governments, industries, and the public in interpreting and using this information.

SB722,6 Section 6. 36.25 (8m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB722,4,9 36.25 (8m) Center for Watershed Science and Education. (a) In this paragraph, “center” means the Center for Watershed Science and Education.

SB722,4,11 (b) From the appropriation under s. 20.285 (1) (ar), the board shall provide funding to support the operations of the center, including all of the following:

SB722,4,14 1. Expanding outreach to all new and existing private well owners through educational programs, mailings, and public service announcements that direct private well owners to educational resources.

SB722,4,17 2. Developing and maintaining a database on private well water quality that combines test results by the center, the department of natural resources, cities, villages, towns, counties, and private laboratories.

SB722,4,18 3. Developing data transfer protocols for the database described in subd. 2.

SB722,4,19 4. Updating the center's online mapping tools.

SB722,4,20 (c) This subsection does not apply after June 30, 2024.

SB722,7 Section 7 . 281.73 of the statutes is created to read:

SB722,4,24 281.73 County grants for well testing and public education. (1) The department shall administer a program to provide, from the appropriation account under s. 20.370 (6) (ca), grants to counties for either of the following purposes:

SB722,5,5 (a) To conduct countywide testing and mapping of privately owned wells to assess groundwater quality and to determine the extent and type of any contamination and to study and map geologic characteristics and well construction practices in the county, including depth to bedrock and well age, to determine any correlation between water quality, geology, and well construction.

SB722,5,9 (b) For counties that have completed the type of study described under par. (a), to notify the public of the results of the completed study and to notify private well owners whose wells may be contaminated based on the results of the completed study.

SB722,5,10 (2) A county may receive a grant under either sub. (1) (a) or (b), but not both.

SB722,5,12 (3) More than one county may apply for a joint grant under this subsection if the counties are applying for the same grant category.

SB722,5,14 (4) The department may not provide more than $10,000 per county under sub. (1) (a) or more than $2,500 per county under sub. (1) (b).

SB722,5,16 (5) As a condition of receiving a grant under this section, a county shall do all of the following:

SB722,5,17 (a) Provide matching funds equal to the amount of the proposed grant.

SB722,5,20 (b) Submit the results of its testing to the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point Center for Watershed Science and Education. Information submitted under this subsection may not include any personally identifiable information.

SB722,5,22 (6) In making grants under this section, the department shall seek to make a grant to every county that applies.

SB722,5,25 (7) The department may promulgate rules necessary to implement this section, but may not impose substantive requirements on applicants other than those provided in this section.

SB722,8 Section 8. 281.74 of the statutes is created to read:

SB722,6,4 281.74 Well testing importance. A city, village, or town that contains privately owned wells or water supplies shall inform its residents of the importance of regular well testing.

SB722,9 Section 9 . Nonstatutory provisions.

SB722,6,17 (1) Phosphorus research. Of the moneys appropriated to the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System under s. 20.285 (1) (a), the board shall allocate $200,000 during the 2019-21 fiscal biennium to the Division of Extension of the University of Wisconsin-Madison to implement the phase I policy research proposal under the Division of Extension's proposed market-based North American phosphorus recovery and reuse policy program. The Board of Regents may not make an allocation under under this subsection unless the Division of Extension shows to the board's satisfaction that the Division of Extension has secured matching funds, including in-kind contributions, from federal, private, or other nonstate revenue sources for implementing the proposal in an amount equal in value to 25 percent of the amount allocated. The amount allocated under this subsection shall be used for research and may not be used for administrative or overhead expenses.

SB722,6,23 (2) Collaboration. The Center for Watershed Science and Education, the hydrogeologist created under s. 36.25 (6) (f), the persons conducting research under the proposed market-based North American phosphorus recovery and reuse policy program, and counties receiving grants under s. 281.73 shall work together to gather and share data to better inform the public and relevant industries about the current condition of water quality in this state.

SB722,10 Section 10. Fiscal changes.

SB722,7,4 (1) Phosphorus research. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System under s. 20.285 (1) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2019-20 is increased by $200,000 to make the allocation required under Section 9 (1 ) of this act.

SB722,7,5 (End)