Chapter 16

16.9675 16.9675 Land activities. The department shall do all of the following:

16.9675(1) (1) Identify state land use goals and recommend these goals to the governor.

16.9675(2) (2) Identify state land use priorities to further the state’s land use goals and recommend to the governor legislation to implement these priorities.

16.9675(3) (3) Study areas of cooperation and coordination in the state’s land use statutes and recommend to the governor legislation to harmonize these statutes to further the state’s land use goals.

16.9675(4) (4) Study areas of the state’s land use statutes that conflict with each other and recommend to the governor legislation to resolve these conflicts to further the state’s land use goals.

16.9675(5) (5) Identify areas of the state’s land use statutes that conflict with county or municipal land use ordinances, and areas of county or municipal land use ordinances that conflict with each other, and recommend to the governor legislation to resolve these conflicts.

16.9675(6) (6) Establish a state agency resource working group that is composed of representatives of the departments of administration; agriculture, trade and consumer protection; commerce; natural resources; revenue; transportation; and other appropriate agencies to discuss, analyze, and address land use issues and related policy issues, including the following:

16.9675(6)(a) (a) Gathering information about the land use plans of state agencies.

16.9675(6)(b) (b) Establishing procedures for the distribution of the information gathered under par. (a) to other state agencies, local units of government, and private persons.

16.9675(6)(c) (c) Creating a system to facilitate, and to provide training and technical assistance for the development of, local intergovernmental land use planning.

16.9675(7) (7) Study the activities of local units of government in the land use area to determine how these activities impact on state land use goals, and recommend to the governor legislation that fosters coordination between local land use activities and state land use goals.

16.9675(8) (8) Identify procedures for facilitating local land use planning efforts, including training and technical assistance for local units of government, and recommend to the governor legislation to implement such procedures.

16.9675(9) (9) Gather and analyze information about the land use activities in this state of the federal government and American Indian governments and inform the governor of the impact of these activities on state land use goals.

16.9675(10) (10) Study any other issues that are reasonably related to the state’s land use goals, including methods for alternative dispute resolution for disputes involving land use issues, and recommend to the governor legislation in the areas studied by the department that would further the state’s land use goals.

16.9675(11) (11) Gather information about land use issues in any reasonable way, including the following:

16.9675(11)(a) (a) Establishing a state-local government-private sector working group to study and advise the department on land use issues.

16.9675(11)(b) (b) Holding public hearings or information meetings on land use issues.

16.9675(11)(c) (c) Conducting surveys on land use issues.

16.9675(11)(d) (d) Consulting with any person who is interested in land use issues.

16.9675 History History: 2005 a. 25.

16.968 16.968 Groundwater survey and analysis. The department shall allocate funds for programs of groundwater survey and analysis to the department of natural resources and the geological and natural history survey following review and approval of a mutually agreed upon division of responsibilities concerning groundwater programs between the department of natural resources and the geological and natural history survey, a specific expenditure plan and groundwater data collection standards. State funds allocated under this section shall be used to match available federal funds prior to being used for solely state-funded activities.

16.968 History History: 1979 c. 34; 1997 a. 27 ss. 142, 142am, 9456 (3m); 2003 a. 33 s. 2811; 2003 a. 48 ss. 10, 11; 2003 a. 206 s. 23.

16.9685 16.9685 Clean water clearinghouse.

16.9685(1) (1) In this section, “credits” means water pollution credits that may be traded under s. 283.84 (1) (f) and (g).

16.9685(2) (2) The department shall solicit services from a single clearinghouse to perform the functions under subs. (3), (5), and (6). The department may not enter into a contract with a clearinghouse under this section unless the department determines that all of the following requirements have been met:

16.9685(2)(a) (a) The clearinghouse has established or is capable of establishing the contract terms, conditions, and information required to document and enforce transactions under sub. (3) (a) and (c) in a commercially reasonable manner.

16.9685(2)(b) (b) The clearinghouse has established a policy that requires a commercially reasonable amount of financial reserves, insurance, reserve credit pool, or other risk management mechanism for use in the event that a party defaults on an agreement under sub. (3) (a).

16.9685(2)(c) (c) The clearinghouse has established a commercially reasonable process for soliciting and entering into transactions under sub. (3) (a) and (c).

16.9685(2)(d) (d) The clearinghouse has established a clearly defined fee structure describing the manner in which and the amount that the clearinghouse will be paid for facilitating and executing transactions under sub. (3) (a) and (c).

16.9685(2)(e) (e) The clearinghouse has the capability to facilitate and execute transactions under sub. (3) (a) and (c).

16.9685(2)(f) (f) The clearinghouse has satisfied all other applicable requirements to transact business in this state.

16.9685(2)(g) (g) The department of natural resources has approved the contract.

16.9685(3) (3) The clearinghouse with which the department enters into a contract under sub. (2) shall be the primary entity responsible for facilitating a financially stable market for the activities described in this subsection and sub. (5) and shall do all of the following:

16.9685(3)(a) (a) Produce credits by entering into contracts with other parties to undertake water pollution reduction activities. Each credit generated by a contracting party under this paragraph shall require the party to undertake at least 1.2 times that amount in water pollution reduction activities.

16.9685(3)(b) (b) Maintain a bank of credits produced or to be produced under par. (a).

16.9685(3)(c) (c) Sell credits produced under par. (a) to any person.

16.9685(3)(d) (d) Use methods approved by the department of natural resources to determine the amount of credits that may be produced by various water pollution reduction activities. These methods may include tables and models based on the best available scientific protocols. The clearinghouse may recommend additional methods to the department of natural resources.

16.9685(3)(e) (e) When contracting with a party under par. (a), determine the amount of credits that may be produced by the water pollution reduction activities by using the methods approved under par. (d).

16.9685(3)(f) (f) When contracting with a party under par. (a), do all of the following:

16.9685(3)(f)1. 1. Seek to minimize transaction costs.

16.9685(3)(f)2. 2. Seek to maximize the performance of the water pollution reduction activities.

16.9685(3)(f)3. 3. Seek to reduce the overall amount of pollutants introduced into the applicable hydrologic area, as defined under s. 283.84 (1m) (e) 2.

16.9685(3)(f)4. 4. Require a maintenance schedule approved by the department of natural resources to ensure that the credits are maintained throughout the time for which they are certified under sub. (4).

16.9685(3)(g) (g) Before making a credit available for sale for use under s. 283.84 (1) (f), verify the credit by reporting to the department of natural resources any pertinent information regarding the credit and the related water pollution reduction activities, including the location of the activities; the type of practice or technology used; any maintenance schedule; the frequency of inspections; the duration for which the credit is valid; and the amount of credits generated by the water pollution reduction activities.

16.9685(3)(h) (h) Establish and maintain a centralized registry of all credits generated and sold in this state and of the verification of all such credits that have been incorporated into permits under ch. 283. The clearinghouse shall maintain an Internet-based platform to facilitate the location of potential credit buyers, available credits, and any other information that will facilitate credit transactions. The clearinghouse shall report this and other pertinent trading information annually to the department and to the department of natural resources. The clearinghouse shall enter into a data-sharing agreement with the department of natural resources to facilitate the clearinghouse’s ability to collect and make publicly available pertinent information relating to water quality improvement programs administered in this state.

16.9685(4) (4) No later than 45 days after reviewing the information provided under sub. (3) (g) and (h), the department of natural resources shall certify the amount of credits and the duration of the credits available for sale.

16.9685(5) (5) The clearinghouse with which the department enters into a contract under sub. (2) may do any of the following:

16.9685(5)(a) (a) Charge fees and use funds received for general program operations of the clearinghouse, including costs associated with facilitating transactions, purchasing credits, and repayment of funds granted or loaned to the clearinghouse.

16.9685(5)(b) (b) Hold excess funds in trust for the purpose of making grants, in collaboration with county land conservation offices, the department of natural resources, or the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, for targeted water pollution prevention, water pollution remediation, and other environmental enhancement projects that improve the water quality of this state.

16.9685(5)(c) (c) Establish a reserve pool of credits produced under sub. (3) (a) and maintain the reserve credit pool for the purpose of maintaining a risk management mechanism under sub. (2) (b).

16.9685(5)(d) (d) Conduct research on other innovative approaches to environmental improvement.

16.9685(6) (6) Upon the recommendation of the department of natural resources, the department may contract with the clearinghouse under sub. (2) to further the implementation of any adaptive management, water quality trading, or future market-based water quality programs in effect in this state.

16.9685(7) (7) The term of a contract entered into under sub. (2) shall be 5 years. The department may terminate a contract entered into under sub. (2) if the clearinghouse fails to meet any of the requirements under this section or rules promulgated under s. 283.84. The department shall give the clearinghouse at least 120 days’ notice of the default and a right to cure before terminating a contract under this subsection.

16.9685(8) (8) If the contract with the clearinghouse is terminated or the clearinghouse ceases to function, the department of natural resources shall continue to administer all credit transactions then in effect until a new clearinghouse contract is established or until the terms of the individual parties’ contracts expire.

16.9685(9) (9) Before the end of the 4th year of any contract entered into under sub. (2), the department of natural resources shall evaluate the clearinghouse and shall report its evaluation to the department.

16.9685 History History: 2019 a. 151.

16.969 16.969 Fees for certain high-voltage transmission lines.

16.969(1) (1) In this section:

16.969(1)(a) (a) “Commission” means the public service commission.

16.969(1)(b) (b) “High-voltage transmission line” means a high-voltage transmission line, as defined in s. 196.491 (1) (f), that is designed for operation at a nominal voltage of 345 kilovolts or more.

16.969(2) (2) The department shall promulgate rules that require a person who is issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) for a high-voltage transmission line to pay the department the following fees:

16.969(2)(a) (a) An annual impact fee in an amount equal to 0.3 percent of the cost of the high-voltage transmission line, as determined by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) (gm).

16.969(2)(b) (b) A one-time environmental impact fee in an amount equal to 5 percent of the cost of the high-voltage transmission line, as determined by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) (gm).

16.969(3) (3) 

16.969(3)(a) (a) The department shall distribute the fees that are paid by a person under the rules promulgated under sub. (2) (a) to each town, village and city that is identified by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) (gm) in proportion to the amount of investment that is allocated by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) (gm) to each such town, village and city.

16.969(3)(b) (b) The fee that is paid by a person under the rules promulgated under sub. (2) (b) shall be distributed as follows:

16.969(3)(b)1. 1. The department shall pay 50 percent of the fee to each county that is identified by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) (gm) in proportion to the amount of investment that is allocated by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) (gm) to each such county.

16.969(3)(b)2. 2. The department shall pay 50 percent of the fee to each town, village and city that is identified by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) (gm) in proportion to the amount of investment that is allocated by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) (gm) to each such town, village and city.

16.969(4) (4) A county, town, village, or city that receives a distribution under sub. (3) (b) may use the distribution only for park, conservancy, wetland or other similar environmental programs, unless the commission approves a different use under this subsection. A county, town, village, or city that receives a distribution may request in writing at any time that the commission approve a different use. The commission shall make a decision no later than 14 days after receiving such a request. The commission shall approve a request if it finds that the request is in the public interest.

16.969 History History: 1999 a. 9; 2003 a. 89.

16.969 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also Adm 46, Wis. adm. code.

subch. VII of ch. 16 SUBCHAPTER VII

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

16.97 16.97 Definitions. In this subchapter:

16.97(1m) (1m) “Agency” has the meaning given in s. 16.70 (1e).

16.97(2) (2) “Authority” has the meaning given in s. 16.70 (2).

16.97(3) (3) “Computer services” means any services in which a computer is utilized other than for personal computing purposes.

16.97(4) (4) “Data processing” means the delivery of information processing services.

16.97(5m) (5m) “Executive branch agency” has the meaning given in s. 16.70 (4).

16.97(5p) (5p) “Form” means any written material, by whatever means printed, generated or reproduced, with blank spaces left for the entry of additional information to be used for the purpose of providing information, collecting information or requiring action in any transaction involving this state.

16.97(5s) (5s) “Forms management” means the system of providing forms to accomplish necessary operations efficiently and economically, including analysis and design of forms, improvement of methods of procurement, distribution and disposition of forms and improvement of methods to keep to a reasonable level the public’s duty to report. “Forms management” includes the elimination of unnecessary forms and of unnecessary data collection and standardizing, consolidating and simplifying forms and related procedures.

16.97(6) (6) “Information technology” means the electronic processing, storage and transmission of information including data processing and telecommunications.

16.97(6m) (6m) “Information technology portfolio” means information technology systems, applications, infrastructure, and information resources and human resources devoted to developing and maintaining information technology systems.

16.97(7) (7) “Local governmental unit” means a political subdivision of this state, a special purpose district in this state, an instrumentality or corporation of such a political subdivision or special purpose district, a combination or subunit of any of the foregoing or an instrumentality of the state and any of the foregoing.

16.97(8) (8) “Personal computing” means utilizing a computer that is located at the same work station where the input or output of data is conducted.

16.97(8m) (8m) “Public contact form” means a form generated and used by any agency in transactions between the agency and a member of the public.

16.97(9) (9) “Supercomputer” means a special purpose computer that performs in a scientific environment and that is characterized by a very high processing speed and power.

16.97(10) (10) “Telecommunications” means all services and facilities capable of transmitting, switching, or receiving information in any form by wire, radio, or other electronic means.

16.97 History History: 2001 a. 16 ss. 346, 347, 348, 1027; Stats. 2001 s. 22.01; 2003 a. 33 ss. 232, 752 to 756; Stats. 2003 s. 16.97; 2015 a. 55.