Chapter 292

292.63(10) (10) Penalties.

292.63(10)(a) (a) Any owner or operator, person owning a home oil tank system or service provider who fails to maintain a record as required by rules promulgated under sub. (9) (a) may be required to forfeit not more than $5,000. Each day of continued violation constitutes a separate offense.

292.63(10)(b) (b) Any owner or operator, person owning a home oil tank system or service provider who intentionally destroys a document that is relevant to a claim for reimbursement under this section is guilty of a Class G felony.

292.63 History History: 1987 a. 399; 1989 a. 31, 254, 255; 1991 a. 39, 82, 269; 1993 a. 16, 301, 416, 491; 1995 a. 27 ss. 3665 to 3683m, 9116 (5); 1995 a. 227, 247, 378, 417; 1997 a. 27, 35, 237, 252, 283; 1999 a. 9, 185; 2001 a. 16, 109; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 75; 2007 a. 20, 145; 2009 a. 28, 240; 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 20 ss. 1634 to 1706; Stats. 2013 s. 292.63; 2013 a. 173 s. 33; 2015 a. 55.

292.63 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. NR 747, Wis. adm. code.

292.63 Annotation That the commingling of contaminants from separate tanks was below DNR clean-up levels did not eliminate the fact that commingling can still occur resulting in one occurrence under sub. (1) (cs). Mews v. Department of Commerce, 2004 WI App 24, 269 Wis. 2d 641, 676 N.W.2d 160, 03-0055.

292.63 Annotation The proceeds of general obligation bonds may be used to fund awards under this section. 81 Atty. Gen. 114.

292.64 292.64 Removal of abandoned underground petroleum storage tanks.

292.64(1) (1) In this section:

292.64(1)(a) (a) “Backfill” does not include landscaping or replacing sidewalk, asphalt, fence, or sod or other vegetation.

292.64(1)(b) (b) “Underground petroleum product storage tank system” has the meaning given in s. 292.63 (1) (i).

292.64(2) (2) The department may contract with a person registered or certified under s. 168.23 to empty, clean, remove, and dispose of an underground petroleum product storage tank system; to assess the site on which the underground petroleum product storage tank system is located; and to backfill the excavation if all of the following apply:

292.64(2)(a) (a) The department determines that the underground petroleum product storage tank system is abandoned.

292.64(2)(b) (b) Using the method that the department uses to determine inability to pay under s. 292.63 (4) (ee), the department determines that the owner of the underground petroleum product storage tank system is unable to pay to empty, clean, remove, and dispose of the underground petroleum product storage tank system; to assess the site on which the underground petroleum product storage tank system is located; and to backfill the excavation.

292.64(3) (3) If the department incurs costs under sub. (2), the department shall record a statement of lien with the register of deeds of the county in which the underground petroleum product storage tank system was located. Upon recording the statement of lien, the department has a lien on the property on which the underground petroleum product storage tank system was located in the amount of the costs incurred. The property remains subject to the lien until that amount is paid in full to the department. The department shall deposit payments received under this subsection into the petroleum inspection fund.

292.64 History History: 2009 a. 28; 2013 a. 20 s. 1707; Stats. 2013 s. 292.64; 2013 a. 173.

292.65 292.65 Dry cleaner environmental response program.

292.65(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

292.65(1)(b) (b) “Case closure letter” means a letter provided by the department that states that, based on information available to the department, no further remedial action is necessary with respect to a dry cleaning product discharge.

292.65(1)(d) (d) “Dry cleaning facility” means a facility for cleaning apparel or household fabrics for the general public using a dry cleaning product, other than a facility that is one of the following:

292.65(1)(d)1. 1. A coin-operated facility.

292.65(1)(d)2. 2. A facility that is located on a U.S. military installation.

292.65(1)(d)3. 3. An industrial laundry.

292.65(1)(d)4. 4. A commercial laundry.

292.65(1)(d)5. 5. A linen supply facility.

292.65(1)(d)6. 6. A facility that is located at a prison or other penal institution.

292.65(1)(d)7. 7. A facility that is located at a nonprofit hospital or at another nonprofit health care institution.

292.65(1)(d)8. 8. A facility that is located on property that is owned by the federal government or by this state or that is located on property that was owned by the federal government or by this state when the facility was operating.

292.65(1)(d)9. 9. A formal wear rental firm.

292.65(1)(e) (e) “Dry cleaning product” means a hazardous substance used to clean apparel or household fabrics, except for a hazardous substance used to launder apparel or household fabrics.

292.65(1)(ek) (ek) “Formal wear” includes tuxedos, suits and dresses, but does not include costumes, table linens and household fabrics.

292.65(1)(em) (em) “Formal wear rental firm” means a facility that rents formal wear to the general public and dry cleans only the formal wear that it rents to the general public.

292.65(1)(g) (g) “Groundwater” has the meaning given in s. 281.75 (1) (c).

292.65(1)(gm) (gm) “Immediate action” means a remedial action that is taken within a short time after a discharge of dry cleaning product occurs, or after the discovery of a discharge of dry cleaning product, to halt the discharge, contain or remove discharged dry cleaning product, or remove contaminated soil or water in order to restore the environment to the extent practicable and to minimize the harmful effects of the discharge to air, lands, and waters of the state and to eliminate any imminent threat to public health, safety, or welfare.

292.65(1)(gs) (gs) “Interim action” means a remedial action that is taken to contain or stabilize a discharge of a dry cleaning product, in order to minimize any threats to public health, safety, or welfare or to the environment, while other remedial actions are being planned.

292.65(1)(gv) (gv) “Launder” means to use water and detergent as the main process for cleaning apparel or household fabrics.

292.65(1)(h) (h) “Operator” means any of the following:

292.65(1)(h)1. 1. A person who holds the license under s. 77.9961 (2) for a dry cleaning facility.

292.65(1)(h)2. 2. A subsidiary or parent corporation of the person specified under subd. 1.

292.65(1)(h)3. 3. A person who operated a dry cleaning facility that ceased operating before October 14, 1997.

292.65(1)(h)4. 4. A person who operated a dry cleaning facility that ceased operation after October 13, 1997, but that was licensed under s. 77.9961 (2) before it ceased operation.

292.65(1)(i) (i) “Owner” means any of the following:

292.65(1)(i)1. 1. A person who owns, or has possession or control of, and who receives or received direct or indirect consideration from the operation of, any of the following:

292.65(1)(i)1.a. a. A dry cleaning facility that is licensed under s. 77.9961 (2).

292.65(1)(i)1.b. b. A dry cleaning facility that has ceased operation but that, if it ceased operation on or after October 14, 1997, was licensed under s. 77.9961 (2) before it ceased operation.

292.65(1)(i)2. 2. A subsidiary or parent corporation of the person specified under subd. 1.

292.65(1)(i)3. 3. A person who owns the property on which one of the following is located:

292.65(1)(i)3.a. a. A dry cleaning facility that is licensed under s. 77.9961 (2).

292.65(1)(i)3.b. b. A dry cleaning facility that has ceased operation but that was licensed under s. 77.9961 (2) before it ceased operation and was licensed and operating while the person owned the property.

292.65(1)(j) (j) “Program year” means the period beginning on July 1, and ending on the following June 30.

292.65(1)(L) (L) “Service provider” means a consultant, testing laboratory, monitoring well installer, soil boring contractor, other contractor or any other person who provides a product or service for which an application for reimbursement has been or will be filed under this section, or a subcontractor of such a person.

292.65(1)(m) (m) “Subsidiary or parent corporation” means a business entity, including a subsidiary, parent corporation or other business arrangement, that has elements of common ownership or control or that uses a long-term contractual arrangement with a person to avoid direct responsibility for conditions at a dry cleaning facility.

292.65(3) (3) Duties of the department.

292.65(3)(a) (a) The department shall promulgate rules for the administration of the program under this section.

292.65(3)(am) (am)

292.65(3)(am)1. 1. The department shall establish a method for determining the order in which it pays awards under this section. Except as provided in subd. 2., the method shall be based on environmental factors and on the order in which applications are received.

292.65(3)(am)2. 2. The department shall pay an award for immediate action activities before it pays other awards.

292.65(3)(b) (b) The department shall promote the program under this section to persons who may be eligible for awards.

292.65(3)(c) (c) The department shall allocate 9.7 percent of the funds appropriated under s. 20.370 (6) (eq) in each fiscal year for awards for immediate action activities and applications that exceed the amount anticipated.

292.65(3)(d) (d) The department shall keep records and statistics on the program under this section and shall periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the program.

292.65(3)(e) (e) No later than January 1, 2002, the department shall complete a review of the program under this section and shall submit a report on the results of the review to the joint committee on finance and to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature, as determined by the speaker of the house and the president of the senate, under s. 13.172 (3). The report shall include the department’s recommendations for changes to the program. The review shall include consideration of whether the program should be expanded or ended, whether the program should be incorporated into a broader program of financial assistance for the remediation of environmental contamination and whether private insurance coverage should be required for any dry cleaning facilities.

292.65(4) (4) Process; eligibility.

292.65(4)(a) (a) General requirements. To be eligible for an award under this section, the owner or operator of a dry cleaning facility shall comply with pars. (b), (c), (e), (f) and (j) and the other requirements of this section applicable to the owner or operator.

292.65(4)(b) (b) Report. An owner or operator shall report a dry cleaning product discharge to the department in a timely manner, as provided in s. 292.11.

292.65(4)(c) (c) Notification of potential claim.

292.65(4)(c)1. 1. An owner or operator shall notify the department, before conducting a site investigation or any remedial action activity, of the potential for submitting an application for an award under this section, except as provided in subd. 2.

292.65(4)(c)2. 2. Subdivision 1. does not apply to an owner or operator who began a site investigation or remedial action activity before October 14, 1997.

292.65(4)(d) (d) Information from department. When an owner or operator notifies the department under par. (c) 1., the department shall provide the owner or operator with information on the program under this section and the department’s estimate of the eligibility of the owner or operator for an award under this section.

292.65(4)(e) (e) Investigation. After notifying the department under par. (c) 1., if applicable, and before conducting remedial action activities, an owner or operator shall complete an investigation to determine the extent of environmental impact of the dry cleaning product discharge, except as provided in pars. (g) and (h).

292.65(4)(f) (f) Remedial action plan. After completing the investigation under par. (e) and before conducting remedial action activities, an owner or operator shall prepare a remedial action plan, based on the investigation under par. (e), that identifies specific remedial action activities proposed to be conducted, except as provided in pars. (g) and (h).

292.65(4)(g) (g) Immediate action. An owner or operator is not required to complete an investigation or prepare a remedial action plan before conducting an immediate action activity if the department determines that an immediate action is necessary.

292.65(4)(h) (h) Interim action. An owner or operator is not required to complete an investigation or prepare a remedial action plan before conducting an interim action activity if the department determines that an interim action is necessary.

292.65(4)(i) (i) Review of site investigation and remedial action plan. The department shall, at the request of an owner or operator, review the site investigation results and the remedial action plan and advise the owner or operator on the adequacy of the proposed remedial action activities in meeting the requirements of this section. The department shall complete the review of the site investigation and remedial action plan within 45 days. The department shall also provide an estimate of when funding will be available to pay an award for remedial action conducted in response to the dry cleaning product discharge.

292.65(4)(j) (j) Remedial action. The owner or operator shall conduct all remedial action activities that are required under this section in response to the dry cleaning product discharge, including all of the following:

292.65(4)(j)1. 1. Recovering any recoverable dry cleaning product from the environment.

292.65(4)(j)2. 2. Managing any residual solid or hazardous waste in a manner consistent with local, state and federal law.

292.65(4)(j)3. 3. Restoring groundwater according to the standards promulgated by the department under ss. 160.07 and 160.09.

292.65(4)(k) (k) Agents. An owner or operator may enter into a written agreement with another person under which that other person acts as an agent for the owner or operator in conducting the activities under pars. (e) to (j). If an agreement is entered into under this paragraph, all requirements applicable to an owner or operator under par. (m) and subs. (8) (a), (8m), and (12) apply to the agent. The owner or operator or the agent may submit the application for an award under this section.

292.65(4)(L) (L) Awards for dry cleaning facilities on tribal trust lands. The owner or operator of a dry cleaning facility located on trust lands of an American Indian tribe may be eligible for an award under this section if the owner or operator otherwise satisfies the requirements of this subsection and complies with the rules promulgated under this section and any other rules promulgated by the department concerning dry cleaning facilities.

292.65(4)(m) (m) Notification of applications and receipt of funds. An owner or operator shall notify the department of any application, including any insurance claim, made to obtain funds to cover eligible costs or to obtain a tax credit based on eligible costs, the status of the application, and, if the owner or operator has received any funds or any tax credit arising from the application, the amount of funds or tax credit received.

292.65(5) (5) Enhanced pollution prevention measures.

292.65(5)(a) (a)

292.65(5)(a)1. 1. The owner or operator of a dry cleaning facility on which construction begins after October 14, 1997, is not eligible for an award under this section unless the owner or operator has implemented the enhanced pollution prevention measures described in par. (b).

292.65(5)(a)2. 2. The owner or operator of a dry cleaning facility on which construction began on or before October 14, 1997, is ineligible for an award under this section with respect to a discharge that occurs on or after the 91st day after the day on which the department issues a case closure letter with respect to an earlier discharge of dry cleaning solvent from the dry cleaning facility, unless the owner or operator has implemented the enhanced pollution prevention measures described in par. (b).

292.65(5)(b) (b) An owner or operator who is required to implement enhanced pollution prevention measures under par. (a) shall demonstrate all of the following:

292.65(5)(b)3. 3. That each machine or other piece of equipment in which dry cleaning product is used, or the entire area in which those machines or pieces of equipment are located, is surrounded by a containment dike or other containment structure that is able to contain any leak, spill, or other release of dry cleaning product from the machines or other pieces of equipment.

292.65(5)(b)4. 4. That the floor within any area surrounded by a dike or other containment structure under subd. 3. is sealed or is otherwise impervious to dry cleaning product.

292.65(5)(c) (c) The owner or operator of a dry cleaning facility is not eligible for an award under this section unless the owner or operator has implemented the following enhanced pollution prevention measures:

292.65(5)(c)1. 1. That the owner or operator manages all wastes that are generated at the dry cleaning facility and that contain dry cleaning product as hazardous wastes in compliance with ch. 291 and 42 USC 6901 to 6991i.