283.15(3)(a)(a) The secretary shall issue a tentative decision on an application for a variance under
sub. (2) (a) in the notice under
s. 283.39 for the reissuance of the permit.
283.15(3)(b)
(b) The secretary shall issue a tentative decision on an application for a variance under
sub. (2) (am) 1. within 120 days after receipt of a completed application. The department shall circulate the tentative decision to the permittee and to the parties in
s. 283.53 (2) (c). If the tentative decision is to grant a variance based upon one or more of the conditions specified in
sub. (4) (a) 1. a. to
e., the department shall include in the notice under this paragraph a statement on the effect of the variance, if granted, on the designated use of the water body during the term of the underlying permit. The department shall provide a 30-day period for written comments on the tentative decision.
283.15(4)(a)1.1. The secretary shall approve all or part of a requested variance, or modify and approve a requested variance if the permittee demonstrates, by the greater weight of the credible evidence, that attaining the water quality standard is not feasible because:
283.15(4)(a)1.a.
a. Naturally occurring pollutant concentrations prevent the attainment of the standard;
283.15(4)(a)1.b.
b. Natural, ephemeral, intermittent or low flow conditions or water levels prevent the attainment of the standard, unless these conditions may be compensated for by the discharge of sufficient volume of effluent discharges without violating water conservation requirements;
283.15(4)(a)1.c.
c. Human caused conditions or sources of pollution prevent the attainment of the standard and cannot be remedied or would cause more environmental damage to correct than to leave in place;
283.15(4)(a)1.d.
d. Dams, diversions or other types of hydrologic modifications preclude the attainment of the standard, and it is not feasible to restore the water body to its original condition or to operate such modification in a way that would result in the attainment of the standard;
283.15(4)(a)1.e.
e. Physical conditions related to the natural features of the water body, such as the lack of proper substrate, cover, flow, depth, pools, riffles, and the like, unrelated to water quality, preclude attainment of aquatic life protection uses; or
283.15(4)(a)1.f.
f. The standard, as applied to the permittee, will cause substantial and widespread adverse social and economic impacts in the area where the permittee is located.
283.15(4)(a)2.
2. The secretary shall deny a requested variance if the permittee fails to make the demonstration required under
subd. 1.
283.15(5)(a)(a) A variance applies only to the permittee requesting the variance and to the pollutant specified in the variance. A variance does not affect or require the department to modify the corresponding water quality standard adopted under
s. 281.15.
283.15(5)(b)
(b) A variance applies for the term established by the secretary, but not to exceed 5 years. The term of the initial variance and any renewals thereof may not exceed the time that the secretary determines is necessary to achieve the water quality based effluent limitation. Initial and interim effluent limitations established under
par. (c) 1. apply, as appropriate, for the term of the underlying permit as reissued or modified to implement the decision under
sub. (4) (a) 1. or as extended by operation of
s. 227.51 (2). Notwithstanding
sub. (4) (d),
s. 227.51 (2) shall apply for the purposes of continuing the provisions of a permit pending the reissuance of a permit.
283.15(5)(c)
(c) The department shall require all of the following in a permit reissued or modified to implement a variance:
283.15(5)(c)1.
1. Compliance with an initial effluent limitation that at the time the variance is approved represents the level currently achievable by the permittee and that is no less stringent than the effluent limitation achieved under the permit before reissuance. At the time a variance is approved a compliance schedule and an interim effluent limitation that is achievable by the permittee during the term of the variance may be specified. The initial and the interim effluent limitations may not be less stringent than a categorical effluent limitation that applies to the permittee under
s. 283.13 (2) or
(4) or
283.19 or a toxic effluent standard that applies to the permittee under
s. 283.21.
283.15(5)(c)2.
2. Investigation of treatment technologies, process changes, pollution prevention, wastewater reuse or other techniques that may result in compliance by the permittee with the water quality standard adopted under
s. 281.15, and submission of reports on the investigations at such times as required by the department. The secretary shall modify or waive the requirements specified in this subdivision if the secretary determines, based upon comments received on the tentative decision under
sub. (3), that the requirements of this subdivision are:
283.15(5)(c)2.a.
a. Reasonably beyond the technical or financial capability of the permittee; or
283.15(5)(d)
(d) The department may impose conditions in the permit as necessary to administer the variance including, but not limited to, additional monitoring requirements.
283.15(6)
(6) Renewal. A variance may not be renewed if the permittee did not submit the reports required under
sub. (5) (c) 2. or substantially comply with all other conditions of the variance.
283.15(7)
(7) Delegation of secretary's authority. The secretary may designate an officer or employee of the department to make any decision that the secretary is required to make under this section.
283.15(8)
(8) No right to a hearing. Notwithstanding
s. 227.42, there is no right to a hearing under this section.
283.15(9)
(9) Relation to permit review. If the secretary approves part or all of a variance or modifies and approves the variance under this section and the department issues a modified water quality based effluent limitation under
s. 283.63 for the same substance, the permittee shall comply with the least stringent of the 2 effluent limitations.
283.15(10)(a)(a) Subsections (2) to
(5) do not apply if the water quality based effluent limitation results from the decision of the department under
s. 283.63 to make the water quality based effluent limitation less stringent than the effluent limitation in the permit as issued, reissued or modified.
283.15(10)(b)
(b) Subsections (2) to
(5) apply if the water quality based effluent limitation results from the decision of the department under
s. 283.63 to make the water quality based effluent limitation more stringent than the effluent limitation in the permit as issued, reissued or modified.
283.15(10)(c)
(c) This section does not apply to the issuance, reissuance or modification of a permit to incorporate a toxic effluent standard or prohibition promulgated by rule under
s. 283.11 (4) or
283.21.
283.15 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ch.
NR 212 and s.
NR 200.01, Wis. adm. code.
283.16
283.16
Statewide variance for phosphorus. 283.16(1)(a)
(a) "Basin" means the drainage area identified by an 8-digit hydrologic unit code, as determined by the U.S. Geological Survey.
283.16(1)(b)
(b) "Category" means a class or category of point sources specified by the department under
s. 283.13 (1) or publicly owned treatment works.
283.16(1)(d)
(d) "Existing source" means a point source that was covered by a permit on December 1, 2010.
283.16(1)(e)
(e) "Major facility upgrade" means the addition of new treatment equipment and a new treatment process.
283.16(1)(h)1.
1. For a point source in a watershed for which a federally approved total maximum daily load under
33 USC 1313 (d) (1) (C) is in effect on April 25, 2014, the number of pounds of phosphorus that would be discharged from the point source during a year if the point source complied with its effluent limitation based on the total maximum daily load in effect on April 25, 2014.
283.16(1)(h)2.
2. For a point source in a watershed for which no federally approved total maximum daily load under
33 USC 1313 (d) (1) (C) is in effect on April 25, 2014, the number of pounds of phosphorus that would be discharged from the point source during a year if the average concentration of phosphorus in the effluent discharged by the point source during the year was 0.2 milligrams per liter.
283.16(1)(i)
(i) "Water quality based effluent limitation" means an effluent limitation under
s. 283.13 (5), including an effluent limitation based on a total maximum daily load under
33 USC 1313 (d) (1) (C) approved by the federal environmental protection agency.
283.16(2)
(2) Initial determination concerning the water quality standard for phosphorus. 283.16(2)(a)(a) The department of administration, in consultation with the department of natural resources, shall determine whether attaining the water quality standard for phosphorus, adopted under
s. 281.15, through compliance with water quality based effluent limitations by point sources that cannot achieve compliance without major facility upgrades is not feasible because it would cause substantial and widespread adverse social and economic impacts on a statewide basis. The department of administration may make separate determinations under this paragraph for statewide categories of point sources.
283.16(2)(b)
(b) The department of administration shall include all of the following in its determination under
par. (a), based on water quality based effluent limitations for phosphorus determined by the department of natural resources:
283.16(2)(b)1.
1. A calculation of the statewide cost of compliance with water quality based effluent limitations for phosphorus by point sources that cannot achieve compliance without major facility upgrades.
283.16(2)(b)2.
2. A calculation of the statewide per household cost for water pollution control by publicly owned treatment works that cannot achieve compliance with water quality based effluent limitations for phosphorus without major facility upgrades, including the projected costs of compliance with those water quality based effluent limitations, and a calculation of the percentage of median household income the per household cost represents.
283.16(2)(b)4.
4. A determination of whether the cost of compliance with water quality based effluent limitations for phosphorus by point sources that cannot achieve compliance without major facility upgrades would cause substantial adverse social and economic impacts on a statewide basis.
283.16(2)(b)5.
5. A determination of whether the cost of compliance with water quality based effluent limitations for phosphorus by point sources that cannot achieve compliance without major facility upgrades would cause widespread adverse social and economic impacts on a statewide basis.
283.16(2)(c)
(c) The department of administration shall make a preliminary determination under
par. (a) no later than the 240th day after April 25, 2014. The department of administration shall provide public notice, through an electronic notification system that it establishes or selects, of its preliminary determination and shall provide the opportunity for public comment on the preliminary determination for at least 30 days following the public notice.
283.16(2)(d)
(d) The department of administration shall consider any public comments in making its final determination under
par. (a) and shall make the final determination no later than the 30th day after the end of the public comment period.
283.16(2)(e)
(e) The department of administration shall send a notice that describes its final determination under
par. (a) to the legislative reference bureau for publication in the administrative register.
283.16(2)(em)
(em) If the department of administration determines under
par. (a) that attaining the water quality standard for phosphorus through compliance with water quality based effluent limitations by point sources that cannot achieve compliance without major facility upgrades is not feasible, the department of natural resources shall seek approval under
40 CFR Part 131 from the federal environmental protection agency for the variance under this section.
283.16(2)(f)
(f) If the department of administration determines under
par. (a) that attaining the water quality standard for phosphorus through compliance with water quality based effluent limitations by point sources that cannot achieve compliance without major facility upgrades is not feasible, the determination remains in effect until the department of administration finds under
sub. (3) (c) that the determination is no longer accurate.
283.16(2m)
(2m) Water quality standards review. Every 3 years as part of the review of water quality standards required by
33 USC 1313 (c) (1), if the variance under this section is in effect, the department shall determine whether formal review under
sub. (3) should be undertaken, considering any comments it receives on the variance under this section.
283.16(3)
(3) Review of findings and requirements of variance. 283.16(3)(a)(a) In 2024, if a determination under
sub. (2) (a) that attaining the water quality standard for phosphorus through compliance with water quality based effluent limitations by point sources that cannot achieve compliance without major facility upgrades is not feasible is in effect, or upon a determination under
sub. (2m) that review under this subsection should be undertaken, the department of administration, in consultation with the department of natural resources, shall prepare a report, no later than September 1, to evaluate whether the determination under
sub. (2) (a) remains accurate. The department of administration shall consult with permittees that would be subject to water quality based effluent limitations for phosphorus and other interested parties in preparing the report.
283.16(3)(b)
(b) The department of natural resources shall provide all of the following to the department of administration for the report under
par. (a):
283.16(3)(b)1.
1. A determination of whether technology is reasonably available for point sources to comply with effluent limitations for phosphorus that are more stringent than those in
sub. (6) (a).
283.16(3)(b)2.
2. A determination of whether technology is reasonably available for any category of point sources to comply with effluent limitations for phosphorus that are more stringent than those in
sub. (6) (a).
283.16(3)(b)3.
3. A determination of whether any technology that is reasonably available for compliance with effluent limitations for phosphorus that are more stringent than those in
sub. (6) (a) is cost effective.
283.16(3)(c)
(c) Based on its report under
par. (a), the department of administration, in consultation with the department of natural resources, shall decide whether the determination that attaining the water quality standard for phosphorus through compliance with water quality based effluent limitations by point sources that cannot achieve compliance without major facility upgrades is not feasible remains accurate.
283.16(3)(cm)
(cm) If the department of administration decides under
par. (c) that the determination remains accurate, the department of natural resources shall decide whether it is appropriate to apply more stringent effluent limitations than those in
sub. (6) (a) to all point sources or to any category of point sources, based on the availability and cost effectiveness of technology for compliance and, if so, specify those more stringent effluent limitations based on the report under
par. (a).
283.16(3)(d)
(d) The department of administration shall provide public notice of its preliminary decisions under
par. (c) no later than the 60th day after preparing the report under
par. (a) and shall provide the opportunity for public comment on the decisions for at least 30 days following the public notice.
283.16(3)(e)
(e) The department of administration shall consider any public comments in making its final decisions under
par. (c) and shall make the final decisions no later than the 30th day after the end of the public comment period.
283.16(3)(f)
(f) The department of administration shall send a notice that describes its final decisions under
par. (c) to the legislative reference bureau for publication in the administrative register.
283.16(3)(g)
(g) If the department of administration decides under
par. (c) that the determination described in that paragraph remains accurate, the department of natural resources shall seek aproval from the federal environmental protection agency under
40 CFR 131.21 for renewal of the variance under this section.
283.16(4)(a)(a) When a determination under
sub. (2) (a) that attaining the water quality standard for phosphorus through compliance with water quality based effluent limitations by point sources that cannot achieve compliance without major facility upgrades is not feasible and approval of the variance under this section by the federal environmental protection agency are in effect, a permittee is eligible for a variance to the water quality standard for phosphorus for an existing source if all of the following apply:
283.16(4)(a)2.
2. Subject to
par. (am) 1., the permittee certifies that the existing source cannot achieve compliance with the water quality based effluent limitation for phosphorus without a major facility upgrade.
283.16(4)(a)3.
3. The permittee agrees to comply with the requirements under
sub. (6).
283.16(4)(am)1.1. The department shall approve an application for a variance if the requirements in
pars. (a) and
(b) are complied with, unless the department determines that the certification under
par. (a) 2. is substantially inaccurate.
283.16(4)(am)2.
2. The department shall act on an application for a variance under this section no later than the 30th day after the day on which the department receives the application for the variance.
283.16(4)(am)3.
3. If the department does not act on the application for a variance by the deadline under
subd. 2., the application is approved.
283.16(4)(b)
(b) A permittee may apply for the variance under this section in any of the following ways:
283.16(4)(b)1.
1. By requesting the variance in the application for reissuance of the permit.
283.16(4)(b)2.
2. By requesting the variance within 60 days after the department reissues or modifies the permit to include a water quality based effluent limitation for phosphorus.
283.16(4)(b)3.
3. If the department issued a permit to the permittee before April 25, 2014, that includes a water quality based effluent limitation for phosphorus, by requesting a modification of the permit.
283.16(4)(b)4.
4. If the department issued a permit to the permittee before April 25, 2014, that includes a water quality based effluent limitation for phosphorus and that requires the permittee to submit to the department options for complying with the water quality based effluent limitation, by submitting a request for the variance as a compliance option.
283.16(4)(c)
(c) After an application for a variance is submitted to the department under
par. (b) 2.,
3., or
4., and until the last day for seeking review of the department's final decision on the application or a later date fixed by order of the reviewing court, the water quality based effluent limitation for phosphorus and any corresponding compliance schedule are not effective. All other provisions of the permit continue in effect except those for which a petition for review has been submitted under
s. 283.63.
283.16(4)(d)
(d) The variance under this section remains in effect for a point source until the permit is reissued, modified, or revoked and reissued.
283.16(4)(e)
(e) Notwithstanding
s. 227.42, there is no right to a hearing under this subsection.
283.16(4)(f)
(f) If the department approves a variance under this section and the department issues a modified water quality based effluent limitation under
s. 283.63 for phosphorus, the permittee shall comply with the least stringent of the 2 effluent limitations.
283.16(6)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (ae) or
(am) or
sub. (7), in the permit for a point source for which the department approves the variance under this section the department may include a requirement that the permittee optimize the performance of the point source in controlling phosphorus discharges and shall include the following interim limits:
