LRB-0170/1
MCP:skw
2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
December 8, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives Drake, Subeck, Stubbs,
Considine, Moore Omokunde, Emerson, Andraca, Jacobson, Palmeri, Joers,
Neubauer, Ratcliff, Baldeh, J. Anderson, Ohnstad, Clancy, Shelton,
Sinicki, Vining, C. Anderson, Madison and Shankland, cosponsored by
Senators Taylor, L. Johnson, Roys, Agard, Spreitzer, Hesselbein, Smith,
Carpenter and Larson. Referred to Committee on Environment.
AB819,1,5 1An Act to renumber and amend 23.097 (1); to amend 23.097 (1g) and 23.097
2(1r); and to create 23.097 (1) (b) and 23.097 (1m) of the statutes; relating to:
3grants for planting trees to address urban heat islands, eligible recipients for
4urban forestry grants, providing an exemption from emergency rule
5procedures, and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, the Department of Natural Resources administers an urban
forestry grants program to provide grants to municipalities and nonprofit
organizations to undertake various tree projects in urban areas.
This bill requires DNR, under the urban forestry grants program, to also award
grants of up to $100,000 to municipalities, federally recognized American Indian
tribes or bands located in this state, and nonprofit organizations to plant trees to
reduce the effects of urban heat islands. The bill defines an “urban heat island” as
an urban or metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than the surrounding
natural land cover. The bill increases funding for the urban forestry grant program
by $500,000 in the 2023-24 fiscal year from the conservation fund to provide these
new grants and allows DNR to promulgate emergency rules to administer the grant
program. The bill also clarifies that federally recognized American Indian tribes or
bands located in this state are also eligible for the other types of grants under the
existing program.

For further information see the state and local 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:
AB819,1 1Section 1. 23.097 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 23.097 (1) (intro.) and
2amended to read:
AB819,2,33 23.097 (1) (intro.) In this section, a “nonprofit:
AB819,2,6 4(a) “Nonprofit organization" means an organization that is described in section
5501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and that is exempt from federal income tax
6under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
AB819,2 7Section 2. 23.097 (1) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
AB819,2,98 23.097 (1) (b) “Urban heat island” means an urban or metropolitan area that
9is significantly warmer than the surrounding natural land cover.
AB819,3 10Section 3 . 23.097 (1g) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB819,2,1611 23.097 (1g) The department shall award grants to counties, cities, villages,
12towns, and nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized American Indian tribes
13or bands located in this state
for up to 50 percent of the cost of tree management
14plans, tree inventories, brush residue projects, the development of tree management
15ordinances, tree disease evaluations, public education concerning trees in urban
16areas and other tree projects.
AB819,4 17Section 4. 23.097 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB819,3,218 23.097 (1m) The department shall award grants to counties, cities, villages,
19towns, nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized American Indian tribes or
20bands located in this state to cover the costs of planting, maintaining, and removing
21and replacing trees in urban and metropolitan areas to reduce the negative effects

1of urban heat islands. Grants under this subsection may not exceed $100,000 and
2may be made for the full amount of the costs of an eligible project.
AB819,5 3Section 5. 23.097 (1r) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB819,3,154 23.097 (1r) In addition to the grants awarded under sub. subs. (1g) and (1m),
5the department may award grants to counties, cities, village, towns, nonprofit
6organizations, and federally recognized American Indian tribes or bands located in
7this state
that apply for the grants for the costs of removing, saving, and replacing
8trees that have been damaged by catastrophic storm events in urban areas. To be
9eligible for a grant under this subsection, the damage must have occurred in an area
10for which the governor has designated a state of emergency due to a catastrophic
11storm event. The department shall notify each applicant for a grant under this
12subsection as to whether the application for the grant will be approved or denied
13within 60 days after the date the application is submitted to the department. A
14recipient of a grant awarded under this subsection is exempt from having to pay any
15percentage of the costs in order to receive the grant.
AB819,6 16Section 6. Nonstatutory provisions.
AB819,4,417 (1) Emergency rules. Using the procedure under s. 227.24, the department of
18natural resources may promulgate emergency rules to implement s. 23.097 (1m) for
19the period before the effective date of any permanent rules promulgated under s.
2023.097 (1m) but not to exceed the period authorized under s. 227.24 (1) (c), subject
21to extension under s. 227.24 (2). Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (a), (2) (b), and (3),
22the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under
23this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public
24peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency
25for a rule promulgated under this subsection. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (e) 1d.,

1the department is not required to prepare a statement of scope of the rules
2promulgated under this subsection. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (e) 1g., the
3department is not required to present the rules promulgated under this subsection
4to the governor for approval.
AB819,7 5Section 7. Fiscal changes.
AB819,4,96 (1) In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department
7of natural resources under s. 20.370 (5) (az), the dollar amount for fiscal year
82023-24 is increased by $500,000 to provide grants under s. 23.097 (1m) relating to
9urban heat islands.
AB819,8 10Section 8 . Effective date.
AB819,4,1211 (1) This act takes effect on the day after publication, or on the 2nd day after
12publication of the 2023 biennial budget act, whichever is later.
AB819,4,1313 (End)
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