16.953
16.953
Energy cost reduction plans. No later than July 1 of each even-numbered year, each agency, as defined in
s. 16.75 (12) (a) 1., shall submit a plan to the department, the joint committee on finance, and the standing committee of each house of the legislature having jurisdiction over energy, for reduction of the cost of energy used by the agency. The plan shall include all system and equipment upgrades or installations that are estimated to result in energy cost savings equal to the cost of the upgrade or installation over the anticipated life of the system or equipment. The plan shall also identify potential means of financing the upgrades and installations other than reliance on appropriations of general purpose revenues. The department of administration shall consider in its plan the means of financing allowed under
s. 16.858.
16.953 History
History: 2005 a. 141.
16.954
16.954
Strategic bioenergy feedstock assessment. 16.954(1)(a)
(a) "Affected agencies" means the department of administration, the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the department of natural resources, the office, and the public service commission.
16.954(1)(b)
(b) "Bioenergy feedstock" means biomass used to produce energy, including transportation fuel, heat, or electricity.
16.954(1)(c)
(c) "Office" means the office of energy independence.
16.954(2)
(2) The office shall coordinate among affected agencies the preparation of a biennial strategic bioenergy feedstock assessment that assists producers and users of bioenergy feedstocks and state and local government policy makers in understanding trends in the production and use of bioenergy feedstocks in this state and the effects of that production and use. Using readily available information, each assessment shall do all of the following:
16.954(2)(a)
(a) Summarize the bioenergy feedstocks currently and projected to be produced in the state by region.
16.954(2)(b)
(b) Identify the current and projected significant markets for bioenergy feedstocks produced in the state and major facilities located or likely to be located in the state that use bioenergy feedstocks produced in or outside the state.
16.954(2)(c)
(c) Identify key factors that influence the supply of and demand for major bioenergy feedstocks in the state, including the types and amounts of land devoted to producing these feedstocks.
16.954(2)(d)
(d) Assess whether any of the factors identified under
par. (c) are likely to change during the period covered by the assessment and, if so, how those changes may affect the availability of future bioenergy feedstocks.
16.954(2)(e)
(e) Assess the impacts of the increased use in the state of biomass for energy production on all of the following:
16.954(2)(e)4.
4. Other benefits and services derived from the natural systems in which the biomass is produced.
16.954(2)(f)
(f) Recommend, as appropriate, legislation or changes in programs or rules of affected agencies, including whether the assessment should be continued.
16.954(3)
(3) No later than April 30, 2013, and no later than April 30 of each odd-numbered year thereafter, the office shall submit a copy of an assessment prepared under
sub. (2) to the governor and the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under
s. 13.172 (3) and shall post a copy of the assessment on the office's Internet site.
16.954 History
History: 2009 a. 401.
16.955
16.955
Energy administration. 16.955(1)
(1)
Information. If the governor determines that a disruption of energy supplies poses a serious risk to the economic well-being, health or welfare of the citizens of this state, the governor may issue an order declaring an energy alert. Upon declaration of an energy alert by the governor, the department may issue general or special orders, as defined in
s. 101.01 (7), or promulgate emergency rules under
ch. 227 to compel disclosure of information required for purposes of this section. Any person, or agent of the person, who produces, imports or sells, coal or other forms of fuel, other than electricity, natural gas or wood, who is subject to an emergency rule or general or special order of the department within reasonable time limits specified in the order shall file or furnish such reports, information, data, copies of extracts of originals as the department deems necessary relating to existing and future energy supplies, including but not limited to record of sales in years for 1970 and thereafter, storage capacity, supplies on hand and anticipated supplies, and anticipated demand. To the extent that the reports and data requested by the department are presently available from other state or federal agencies, the department shall coordinate its data reporting requirements with the agencies to avoid duplication of reporting.
16.955(2)
(2) Information to be confidential. All information furnished under
sub. (1) shall be considered confidential and may be compiled or published only for purposes of general statistical comparison. The information may be disclosed to agencies of the state or of the federal government, under the same or similar rules of confidentiality.
16.955(3)(a)(a) Any person, or agent of a person, who produces, imports or sells, coal or other forms of fuel, other than electricity, natural gas or wood, who fails to provide information requested by the department at the time and in the manner specified by the department shall forfeit an amount not to exceed $1,000. Each day the violation of this section continues from the day notice has been received constitutes a separate offense.
16.955(3)(b)
(b) Upon request of the department, the attorney general or the district attorney of the proper county may aid in any investigation, enforce any request of the department for information under this section or seek forfeitures for violations of this section.
16.955(3)(c)
(c) Upon request of the department, the attorney general or the district attorney of the proper county may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for a temporary or permanent injunction restraining any person from violating this section.
16.955(3)(d)
(d) The remedies under this section shall not be exclusive.
16.955(4)
(4) Hearings; evidence; witness fees. 16.955(4)(a)(a) The department or any of its authorized agents may, in relation to any matter arising under this section, conduct hearings, administer oaths, issue subpoenas and take testimony.
16.955(4)(b)
(b) The witnesses subpoenaed by the department or its agent and officers who serve subpoenas shall be entitled to the fees allowed in courts of record. The fees shall be audited and paid by the state in the same manner as other expenses of the department are audited and paid. No witness subpoenaed at the instance of any party other than the department is entitled to payment of fees by the state, unless the department certifies that the testimony of the witness was material.
16.955(4)(c)
(c) Any person who unlawfully fails to attend as a witness or refuses to testify may be compelled to do so as provided in
s. 885.12.
16.955(4)(d)
(d) A record of all hearings shall be kept by the department. All hearings shall be public.
16.955 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ch.
Adm 40, Wis. adm. code.
16.956
16.956
Office of energy independence. 16.956(1)(a)
(a) "Biodevelopment" means research and development relating to the use of renewable resources for electricity, energy, and heating and transportation fuels.
16.956(1)(b)
(b) "Bioindustry" means the manufacture, production, and trade of renewable resources used for electricity, energy, and heating and transportation fuels.
16.956(1)(bg)
(bg) "Biorefinery" means a facility, including equipment and processes, that converts biomass into fuels and products and may produce electricity.
16.956(1)(c)
(c) "Office" means the office of energy independence.
16.956(2)
(2) The office shall work on initiatives that have the following goals:
16.956(2)(a)
(a) Advancing Wisconsin's vision for energy independence by generating at least 25 percent of power, and at least 25 percent of transportation fuels, used in this state from renewable resources by 2025.
16.956(2)(b)
(b) Capturing in-state at least 10 percent of the national emerging bioindustry and renewable energy markets by 2030.
16.956(2)(c)
(c) Ensuring that Wisconsin is a national leader in all of the following:
16.956(2)(c)1.
1. Groundbreaking research that will make alternative energies more affordable and create well-paying jobs in this state.
16.956(2)(c)3.
3. Advancing the sale and use in all types of motor vehicles of blends of gasoline and a biofuel that contain more than 10 percent of the biofuel.
16.956(3)
(3) The office shall do all of the following:
16.956(3)(a)
(a) Ensure and facilitate the implementation of the initiatives specified in
sub. (2) and identify barriers to the implementation of such initiatives. The office shall serve as the central unit of state government to coordinate the activities of all executive branch agencies in connection with these initiatives.
16.956(3)(b)
(b) Serve as a single point of contact to assist businesses, local units of government, and nongovernmental organizations that are pursuing biodevelopment, energy efficiency, and energy independence.
16.956(3)(c)
(c) Develop energy independence policy options for consideration by the governor, the legislature, and the executive branch agencies.
16.956(3)(d)
(d) Identify federal funding opportunities and facilitate applications for federal funding by private, and state and local governmental, entities.
16.956(3)(e)
(e) Perform duties necessary to maintain federal energy funding and any designations required for such funding.
16.956(3)(f)
(f) Pursue, in cooperation with the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the establishment and maintenance of sufficient alternative fuel refueling facilities at public retail outlets to meet the traveling needs of the public.
16.956(4)
(4) Other state agencies shall assist the office in fulfilling its duties under this section to the fullest extent possible.
16.956 History
History: 2007 a. 20;
2009 a. 401.
16.957
16.957
Low-income assistance. 16.957(1)(bm)
(bm) "Commission" means the public service commission.
16.957(1)(c)
(c) "Commitment to community program" means a program by or on behalf of a municipal utility or retail electric cooperative for low-income assistance.
16.957(1)(f)
(f) "Electric provider" means an electric utility or retail electric cooperative.
16.957(1)(g)
(g) "Electric utility" means a public utility that owns or operates a retail electric distribution system.
16.957(1)(k)
(k) "Local unit of government" means the governing body of any county, city, town, village or county utility district or the elected tribal governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band.
16.957(1)(L)
(L) "Low-income assistance" means assistance to low-income households for weatherization and other energy conservation services, payment of energy bills or early identification or prevention of energy crises.
16.957(1)(m)
(m) "Low-income household" means any individual or group of individuals in this state who are living together as one economic unit and for whom residential electricity is customarily purchased in common or who make undesignated payments for electricity in the form of rent, and whose household income is not more than 60 percent of the statewide median household income.
16.957(1)(n)
(n) "Low-income need" means the amount obtained by subtracting from the total low-income energy bills in a fiscal year the product of 2.2% of the estimated average annual income of low-income households in this state in that fiscal year multiplied by the estimated number of low-income households in this state in that fiscal year.
16.957(1)(o)
(o) "Low-income need percentage" means the percentage that results from dividing the sum of the following by the amount of low-income need in fiscal year 1998-99:
16.957(1)(o)2.
2. The total amount expended by utilities under s.
196.374, 2003 stats., related to low-income assistance.
16.957(1)(o)3.
3. Fifty percent of the amount of public benefits fees that municipal utilities and retail electric cooperatives were required to charge under s.
16.957 (5) (a), 1999 stats., in fiscal year 1999-2000.
16.957(1)(p)
(p) "Low-income need target" means the product of the low-income need percentage multiplied by low-income need in a fiscal year.
16.957(1)(q)
(q) "Municipal utility" means an electric utility that is owned wholly by a municipality and that owns a retail distribution system.
16.957(1)(s)
(s) "Retail capacity" means the total amount of electricity that an electric provider is capable of delivering to its retail customers or members and that is supplied by electric generating facilities owned or operated by the electric provider or any other person. "Retail capacity" does not include any electricity that is not used to satisfy the electric provider's retail load obligations.
16.957(1)(t)
(t) "Retail electric cooperative" means a cooperative association that is organized under
ch. 185 for the purpose of providing electricity at retail to its members only and that owns or operates a retail electric distribution system.
16.957(1)(u)
(u) "Total low-income energy bills" means the total estimated amount that all low-income households are billed for residential electricity, natural gas and heating fuel in a fiscal year.
16.957(1)(v)
(v) "Wholesale electric cooperative" means a cooperative association that is organized under
ch. 185 for the purpose of providing electricity at wholesale to its members only.
16.957(1)(w)
(w) "Wholesale supplier" means a wholesale electric cooperative or a municipal electric company, as defined in
s. 66.0825 (3) (d), that supplies electricity at wholesale to a municipal utility or retail electric cooperative.
16.957(1)(x)
(x) "Wholesale supply percentage" means the percentage of the electricity sold by a wholesale supplier that is purchased by a municipal utility or retail electric cooperative.
16.957(2)
(2) Department duties. In consultation with the council, the department shall do all of the following:
16.957(2)(a)
(a)
Low-income programs. After holding a hearing, establish programs to be administered by the department for awarding grants from the appropriation under
s. 20.505 (3) (r) to provide low-income assistance. In each fiscal year, the amount awarded under this paragraph shall be sufficient to ensure that an amount equal to 47% of the sum of the following, or the amount determined under
par. (d) 2m., is spent for weatherization and other energy conservation services:
16.957(2)(a)2.
2. All moneys spent in a fiscal year for low-income programs established under s.
196.374, 2003 stats.
16.957(2)(a)3.
3. All moneys spent in a fiscal year on programs established under this paragraph.
