281.65(4c)(d)2.
2. The existence in the project area of an impaired water body that the department has identified to the federal environmental protection agency under
33 USC 1313 (d) (1) (A).
281.65(4c)(d)3.
3. The extent to which the project will result in the attainment of established water quality objectives.
281.65(4c)(d)5.
5. The inclusion of a strategy to evaluate the progress toward reaching project goals, including the monitoring of water quality improvements resulting from project activities.
281.65(4c)(d)6.
6. The extent to which the application proposes to use available federal funding.
281.65(4c)(d)7.
7. The extent to which the project is necessary to enable the city of Racine to control storm water discharges as required under
33 USC 1342 (p).
281.65(4c)(e)
(e) The board shall review the scoring system proposed under
par. (d) and shall approve the system as submitted or shall modify and approve the system. The board shall review the system at least once every 2 years and may require the department to submit a revised system after a review.
281.65(4e)
(4e) The department of natural resources and the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, jointly, shall prepare a plan to allocate funding from the program under this section for staff in every county as funds become available from the completion or termination of projects under this section. The departments shall submit the plan to the land and water conservation board by July 1, 1998. The department of natural resources shall implement the plan upon the approval of the land and water conservation board.
281.65(4g)
(4g) The department may contract with any person from the appropriation account under
s. 20.370 (4) (at) for services to administer or implement this section, including information and education and training services. The department shall allocate $500,000 in each fiscal year from the appropriation account under
s. 20.370 (4) (at) for contracts for educational and technical assistance related to the program under this section provided by the University of Wisconsin-Extension.
281.65(4m)(a)(a) Any governmental unit or regional planning commission designated by the department under
sub. (4) (h) shall prepare an inventory of nonpoint source water pollution in the watershed which is the subject of the plan under
sub. (4) (g) and submit the inventory to the department for incorporation into the plan.
281.65(4m)(b)
(b) Every plan prepared for an area under
sub. (4) (g) shall include all of the following:
281.65(4m)(b)3.
3. The identification of critical surface water and groundwater protection management areas within that area and the agricultural and nonagricultural best management practices to be applied to that area.
281.65(4m)(b)4.
4. A plan implementation schedule developed in cooperation with the appropriate governmental unit or designated local management agency identified under
sub. (4) (b).
281.65(4m)(b)6.
6. An integrated resource management strategy to protect or enhance fish and wildlife habitat, aesthetics and other natural resources.
281.65(4m)(b)7.
7. A comprehensive management strategy to manage agricultural and nonagricultural nonpoint source water pollution affecting surface water or groundwater, including animal waste, fertilizer, pesticides, storm water, construction site erosion and other nonpoint sources of water pollution.
281.65(4m)(c)
(c) The department shall submit a copy of any plan it completes under this subsection to any county located in or containing any watershed which is a subject of the plan and to the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection. The department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection shall review the plan and notify the department of natural resources of its comments on the plan. A county receiving a plan under this subsection shall review the plan, approve or disapprove the plan and notify the department of natural resources of its action on the plan.
281.65(4m)(d)
(d) After the department considers the comments of the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection on a plan under
par. (c) and receives approval of the plan by every county to which it was sent and by the land and water conservation board, the department shall designate the plan to be an element of the appropriate areawide water quality management plan under
P.L. 92-500, section 208.
281.65(5)
(5) The department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection shall:
281.65(5)(b)
(b) Prepare sections of the priority watershed or priority lake plan relating to farm-specific implementation schedules, requirements under
ss. 92.104 and
92.105, animal waste management and selection of agriculturally related best management practices and submit those sections to the department for inclusion under
sub. (4m) (b). The best management practices shall be cost-effective best management practices, as specified under
sub. (4) (e), except in situations in which the use of a cost-effective best management practice will not contribute to water quality improvement or will cause a water body to continue to be impaired as identified to the federal environmental protection agency under
33 USC 1313 (d) (1) (A).
281.65(5)(d)
(d) Develop a grant disbursement and project management schedule for agriculturally related best management practices to be included in a plan established under
sub. (4) (g) and identify recommendations for implementing activities or projects under
ss. 92.10,
92.104 and
92.105.
281.65(5)(e)
(e) Identify areas within a priority watershed or priority lake area that are subject to activities required under
ss. 92.104 and
92.105.
281.65(5)(f)
(f) Provide implementation assistance as identified and approved in the priority watershed or priority lake plan under
sub. (4) (g).
281.65(5m)
(5m) Upon completion of plans by the department under
sub. (4) (g), the governmental unit or regional planning commission under
sub. (4m) and the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection under
sub. (5), and upon receiving the approval of the land and water conservation board, the department shall prepare and approve the final plan for a priority watershed or priority lake.
281.65(5s)
(5s) The department may make modifications, including designating additional sites as critical sites, in a priority watershed or priority lake plan with the approval of every county to which the department sent the original plan under
sub. (4m) (c) and of the land and water conservation board. If the owner or operator of a site prevails in a final review under
sub. (7) or the site is not designated as a critical site in the original plan under
sub. (5m) and the pollution is from an agricultural source and is not caused by animal waste, the department may not make a modification designating the site as a critical site unless the designation is based on a substantial increase in pollution from the site, on information about pollution from the site that was not available when the plan was prepared or on a substantial change to the criteria for designating a site as a critical site. This subsection applies to a priority watershed or priority lake plan completed before, on or after August 12, 1993.
281.65(5w)
(5w) After the land and water conservation board approves a priority watershed or priority lake plan or a modification to such a plan that designates a site to be a critical site, the department shall notify the owner or operator of that site of the designation and of the provisions in
sub. (7) and either
s. 281.20 or, if the pollution is caused primarily by animal waste,
ss. NR 243.21 to
243.26, Wis. adm. code.
281.65(5y)
(5y) If the owner or operator of a critical site installs and maintains best management practices as provided under the priority watershed or priority lake plan, the site is no longer a critical site. The owner or operator may discontinue maintenance of a best management practice for a period during which the owner or operator changes the use of the site if the best management practice is not needed for the changed use.
281.65(6)
(6) The appropriate governmental unit is responsible for local administration and implementation of priority watershed and priority lakes projects and shall:
281.65(6)(a)
(a) Be responsible for coordination and implementation of activities necessary to achieve water quality objectives including the development of a detailed program for implementation.
281.65(6)(b)
(b) Utilize, whenever possible, existing staff or contract with existing governmental agencies to utilize that agency's existing staff to provide various field, administrative, planning and other services.
281.65(6)(d)
(d) Participate in the plan preparation under contract with the department. The department shall determine the specific plan components which will be prepared depending upon the technical, financial and staffing capability of the appropriate governmental unit.
281.65(7)(a)1.1. The owner or operator of a site designated as a critical site in a priority watershed or priority lake plan under
sub. (5m) or in a modification to such a plan under
sub. (5s) may request a review of that designation by filing a written request within 60 days after receiving notice under
sub. (5w) with the land conservation committee of the county in which the site is located or, if the site is located in more than one county, with the land conservation committee of the county in which the largest portion of the site is located.
281.65(7)(a)2.
2. A county land conservation committee receiving a request under
subd. 1. shall provide the owner or operator with a hearing and shall provide reasonable notice of the hearing to the owner or operator, the department and the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection. The county land conservation committee shall conduct the hearing under this subdivision as an informal hearing.
Section 68.11 (2) does not apply to the hearing. The land conservation committee shall hold the hearing in a place convenient to the owner or operator. Within 60 days after the hearing, the department shall, and the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection may, submit a report and recommendation to the land conservation committee concerning the issues at the hearing. The land conservation committee may affirm or reverse the designation of the site as a critical site.
281.65(7)(b)
(b) The owner or operator of a site designated as a critical site in a priority watershed or priority lake plan under
sub. (5m) or in a modification to such a plan under
sub. (5s) or the department of natural resources may obtain a review of the decision of a county land conservation committee under
par. (a) 2. by filing a written request with the land and water conservation board within 60 days after receiving the decision of the county land conservation committee.
281.65(7)(c)
(c) The owner or operator of a site designated as a critical site in a priority watershed or priority lake plan under
sub. (5m) or in a modification to such a plan under
sub. (5s) may request a contested case hearing under
ch. 227 to review the decision of the land and water conservation board under
par. (b) by filing a written request with the department within 60 days after receiving an adverse decision of the land and water conservation board.
281.65(7m)
(7m) The state share of a grant for local administration under this section may not exceed 70% of the cost of the activities for which the grant is provided if the department first provides a grant to fund those activities after June 30, 1998.
281.65(8)
(8) Eligibility for cost-sharing grants under this section shall be determined based on the following:
281.65(8)(a)
(a) Governmental units and individual landowners or operators are eligible for cost-sharing grants.
281.65(8)(b)
(b) Grants may be provided to applicants in priority watershed areas for projects in conformance with approved areawide water quality management plans.
281.65(8)(c)
(c) Grants may be provided to applicants in nonpriority watersheds for projects which are in conformance with areawide water quality management plans and which conform to the purposes specified under
sub. (1).
281.65(8)(cm)
(cm) Grants may be provided to applicants for projects affecting priority lakes if the projects are in conformance with areawide water quality management plans and the purposes specified under
sub. (1).
281.65(8)(d)
(d) Each cost-sharing grant shall be approved by the designated management agency.
281.65(8)(e)
(e) Except as provided in
sub. (8c), grants may only be used for implementing best management practices. Grants for implementing best management practices may only be used for implementing cost-effective best management practices specified under
sub. (4) (e) unless an applicant demonstrates that the use of a cost-effective best management practice will not contribute to water quality improvement or will cause a water body to continue to be impaired as identified to the federal environmental protection agency under
33 USC 1313 (d) (1) (A).
281.65(8)(f)
(f) A cost-sharing grant shall equal the percentage of the cost of implementing the best management practice that is determined by the governmental unit submitting the application under
sub. (4c) (a) and is approved by the board, except as provided under
pars. (gm) and
(jm) and except that a cost-sharing grant may not exceed 70% of the cost of implementing the best management practice.
281.65(8)(gm)
(gm) The governmental unit submitting the application under
sub. (4c) (a) shall exceed the limit under
par. (f) in cases of economic hardship, as defined by the department by rule.
281.65(8)(jm)
(jm) Notwithstanding
par. (f), after cost-sharing grants have been available in a priority watershed or priority lake area for 36 months only a reduced grant, which may not exceed a percentage established by the department by rule of the cost of implementing the best management practice, may be provided to the owner or operator of a site designated as a critical site in a priority watershed plan under
sub. (5m) or in a modification to such a plan under
sub. (5s).
281.65(8)(k)
(k) A minimum of 70% of the total amount of cost-sharing grants available annually under this section shall be utilized for implementing best management practices in priority watersheds.
281.65(8)(L)
(L) A grant may not be made to an individual if the department receives a certification under
s. 49.855 (7) that the individual is delinquent in child support or maintenance payments or owes past support, medical expenses or birth expenses.
281.65(8)(m)
(m) The department may recognize the value of a conservation easement created under
s. 700.40 (2) and donated to the department, or to any person approved by the department, as constituting all or a portion of the landowner's or operator's share of a cost-sharing grant as determined under
par. (f).
281.65(8)(n)
(n) The department shall identify by rule the types of cost-shared practices and the minimum grant amounts for cost-sharing grants that require any subsequent owner of the property to maintain the cost-shared practice for the life of the cost-shared practice, as determined by the department.
281.65(8)(o)
(o) The department shall provide grants for animal waste storage facilities in amounts not to exceed an amount specified by the department by rule.
281.65(8)(p)
(p) The department may provide a cost-sharing grant to replace a structure or facility at a new location, rather than to repair or reconstruct the structure or facility, if the relocation reduces water pollution and replacement is cost-effective compared to repairing or reconstructing the structure or facility.
281.65(8b)
(8b) Beginning in 1999, if the department establishes an anticipated cost-share reimbursement amount for a year for a county that receives funding under this section and the county enters into cost-share agreements with landowners or operators that result in reimbursable amounts for the year that exceed the amount established by the department, the county shall provide reimbursement to the landowners or operators in the amount by which the reimbursable amounts exceed the amount established by the department.
281.65(8c)
(8c) The department may distribute a grant to a municipality that is required to control storm water discharges under
33 USC 1342 (p) in a priority watershed or priority lake area for practices, techniques or measures to control storm water discharges if those practices, techniques or measures are identified in the plan under
sub. (4) (g) for the priority watershed or priority lake area.
281.65(8d)
(8d) The department may distribute a grant to the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System for practices, techniques or measures to control storm water discharges on a University of Wisconsin System campus that is located in a municipality that is required to obtain a permit under
s. 283.33 and that is located in a priority watershed area, a priority lake area or an area that is identified as an area of concern by the International Joint Commission, as defined in
s. 281.35 (1) (h), under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
281.65(8e)
(8e) The department may not require a person who received a cost-sharing grant to repay the cost-sharing grant on the basis of a violation of this section, rules promulgated under this section or the grant agreement, if, at the time of the violation, the person who received the grant no longer owns or operates the land for which the department provided the grant. This subsection applies without regard to whether the person received the grant before, on or after May 16, 1992.
281.65(8m)
(8m) If the department determines under
sub. (4) (g) 5. that a county, city, village or town should be required to develop a construction site erosion control ordinance under
s. 59.693,
60.627,
61.354 or
62.234 or a manure storage ordinance under
s. 92.16, that county, city, village or town shall make a commitment to develop and adopt the ordinance as a condition of receiving a grant under this section.
281.65(9)
(9) The department may distribute grants and aids to state agencies, including itself, for administration and implementation of the nonpoint source water pollution abatement program on land under state ownership or control for projects affecting priority lakes or in priority watershed areas. The department may distribute grants and aids to itself for the purchase of easements in priority watershed areas.
281.65(10)
(10) To the greatest extent practicable, the department, the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection and the administering and implementing governmental unit shall encourage and utilize the Wisconsin conservation corps for appropriate projects.
281.65(11)
(11) Notwithstanding
subs. (3) (am) and
(3m), the South Fork of the Hay River is a priority watershed for the period ending on June 30, 2001. Notwithstanding
subs. (2) (a),
(4) (dm),
(e),
(em) and
(g) 4.,
(4m) (b) 3. and
(8) (b) and
(e), the department, in consultation with the local units of government involved with the priority watershed project, shall establish guidelines for the types of nonpoint source water pollution abatement practices to be eligible for cost-sharing grants in the watershed. Notwithstanding
sub. (8) (f), the amount of a cost-sharing grant in the watershed may be based on the amount of pollution reduction achieved rather than on the cost of the practices installed, using guidelines developed by the department, in consultation with the local units of government involved with the priority watershed project. The department and the local governmental staff involved with the priority watershed project shall evaluate the cost effectiveness of the project and the reduction in nonpoint source water pollution associated with the project.
281.65 History
History: 1977 c. 418;
1979 c. 34,
221;
1979 c. 355 s.
241;
1981 c. 20;
1981 c. 346 s.
38;
1983 a. 27;
1983 a. 189 s.
329 (16);
1983 a. 416;
1985 a. 29;
1987 a. 27;
1989 a. 31,
336,
366;
1991 a. 39,
309;
1993 a. 16,
166,
213,
246,
491;
1995 a. 27,
201,
225;
1995 a. 227 s.
428; Stats. 1995 s. 281.65;
1995 a. 404 s.
204;
1997 a. 27,
209,
237.
281.67
281.67
Watershed projects. The department shall assist and advise the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection regarding watershed projects under
16 USC 1001 to
1008.
281.67 History
History: 1981 c. 346;
1995 a. 227 s.
429; Stats. 1995 s. 281.67.
281.68
281.68
Lake management planning grants. 281.68(1)
(1) In this section, "qualified lake association" means a group incorporated under
ch. 181 that meets all of the following conditions:
281.68(1)(a)
(a) Specifies in its articles of incorporation or bylaws that a substantial purpose of its being incorporated is to support the protection or improvement of one or more inland lakes for the benefit of the general public.
281.68(1)(b)
(b) Demonstrates that the substantial purpose of its past actions was to support the protection or improvement of one or more inland lakes for the benefit of the general public.
281.68(1)(c)
(c) Allows to be a member any individual who for at least one month each year resides on or within one mile of an inland lake for which the association was incorporated.
281.68(1)(d)
(d) Allows to be a member any individual who owns real estate on or within one mile of an inland lake for which the association was incorporated.
281.68(1)(e)
(e) Does not have articles of incorporation or bylaws which limit or deny the right of any member or any class of members to vote as permitted under
s. 181.0721 (1).
281.68(1)(f)
(f) Has been in existence for at least one year.
281.68(1)(h)
(h) Requires payment of an annual membership fee of not less than $10 nor more than $25.
281.68(1m)
(1m) The department shall develop and administer a financial assistance program to provide lake management planning grants for projects to provide information on the quality of water in lakes, including mill ponds, in order to improve water quality assessment and planning and aid in the selection of activities to abate pollution of lakes.
281.68(2)
(2) The department may provide a grant of 75% of the cost of a lake management planning project up to a total of $10,000 per grant.
281.68(3)
(3) The department shall promulgate rules for the administration of the lake management planning grant program which shall include all of the following:
281.68(3)(a)
(a) Eligible recipients to consist of nonprofit conservation organizations, as defined in
s. 23.0955 (1), counties, cities, towns, villages, qualified lake associations, town sanitary districts, public inland lake protection and rehabilitation districts and other local governmental units, as defined in
s. 66.299 (1) (a), that are established for the purpose of lake management.
281.68(3)(b)
(b) Eligible activities, which shall include data collection, water quality assessment and nonpoint source pollution evaluation.
281.68(4)
(4) At the completion of a lake management planning project, upon request of the recipient of a grant under this section, the department may approve recommendations made as a result of the project as eligible activities for a lake management grant under
s. 281.69.
281.69
281.69
Lake management and classification grants. 281.69(1)(1)
Types of projects. The department shall develop and administer a financial assistance program to provide grants for the following 3 types of projects:
281.69(1)(a)
(a) Lake management projects that will improve or protect the quality of water in lakes or the natural ecosystems of lakes.
281.69(1)(b)
(b) Lake classification projects that will classify lakes by use and implement protection activities for the lakes based on their classification.
