85.09(2)(b)(b) The first right of acquisition under this subsection applies only to the following property: 85.09(2)(b)1.1. In unincorporated areas, any land measured 50 feet from the center line of each outermost track bed and any land between such tracks. 85.09(2)(b)2.2. In incorporated areas, any land measured 33 feet from the center line of each outermost track bed and any land between such tracks. 85.09(2)(b)3.3. Any property not included in subds. 1. and 2. that consists of a loading or unloading facility, a vehicular access facility, or a building that is, in the department’s judgment, suitable for a freight or rail passenger station. 85.09(3)(3) Determination of abandonment. For purposes of this section, rail property shall be deemed abandoned if par. (a) or (b) applies: 85.09(3)(a)(a) A certificate or approval of abandonment has been issued by the federal surface transportation board or federal court or any other federal or state agency having jurisdiction over the rail property. 85.09(3)(b)(b) A certificate or approval of abandonment is not required and the use of the rail property for railroad or railway purposes has been discontinued with the intent not to resume. Intent not to resume may be inferred from circumstances including, but not limited to, the following: 85.09(3)(b)1.1. If the rail property is not used for railroad purposes for 2 consecutive years. 85.09(3)(b)2.2. If the facilities on the rail property are removed or rendered unfit for service. 85.09(3)(b)3.3. If the rail property is used for other than railroad purposes. 85.09(4)(4) Acquisition and conveyance. Upon its own initiative, the department may determine at any time whether the rail property is abandoned, and whether it is in the best interest of the state to acquire the rail property. Within 90 days after being requested by any state agency, any railroad or any county or municipality in which the rail property is located, the department shall, subject to sub. (5) (b), make a determination of the abandonment status and, if found to be abandoned, shall determine whether it is in the best interest of the public to acquire the rail property. If it is determined to acquire the rail property or any part or interest therein, the department shall, within 180 days of the determination of its abandoned status, or the interstate commerce commission’s final order permitting the abandonment, or the termination of any efforts to negotiate an agreement for continual operation of rail service on the line, whichever occurs last, determine the fair market value of the rail property and acquire the rail property at a price deemed reasonable by the department or make a relocation order under s. 32.05. In making its determination, the department shall consider long-range potential for use of the rail property for restoration of railroad service and for other transportation related purposes. The department shall solicit the opinions of appropriate state agencies, affected counties and municipalities and other interested persons. The department shall give due consideration to an expressed desire by a state agency or an affected county or municipality to acquire, in whole or in part, the rail property under consideration. Subject to any prior action under s. 13.48 (14) (am) or 16.848 (1) and subject to sub. (6), all or part of any interest in abandoned rail property acquired by the department under this section or under s. 66.941 (7), 1975 stats., may be subsequently conveyed to another state agency or a county or municipality for transportational purposes, recreational purposes, scenic purposes or for the purpose of constructing a correctional institution, or to a railroad for continued railroad transportation operations when the railroad has operated on the rail property for 5 years and the department may make such conveyances for such purposes. Any determination of the department under this section that rail property is not abandoned shall not preclude the undertaking of a subsequent investigation and determination concerning the same rail property or any portion thereof. If at any time subsequent to the acquisition of rail property under this section the department determines that the rail property is not suitable for transportational purposes, recreational purposes, scenic purposes or for the purpose of constructing a correctional institution, or that the rail property or any interest therein may be conveyed to any other person on terms which are not inconsistent with the potential use of the rail property for transportational purposes, recreational purposes, scenic purposes or for the purpose of constructing a correctional institution or which yield a benefit, including financial benefits, to the state which outweighs the benefit derived from the rail property if used for transportational purposes, recreational purposes, scenic purposes or for the purpose of constructing a correctional institution, the department may convey the rail property or such interest therein, subject to any prior action under s. 13.48 (14) (am) or 16.848 (1) and subject to sub. (6). The department shall give notice of its intention to make the conveyance, and state and local units of government shall have the first 6 months in which to exercise their opportunity to acquire the rail property or interest therein. The railroad from which the rail property was acquired shall have the next 6 months in which to exercise its opportunity to reacquire the rail property or interest therein. 85.09(4i)(4i) Disposal of rail property. The department, subject to any prior action under s. 13.48 (14) (am) or 16.848 (1), shall sell at public or private sale rail property acquired under sub. (4) when the department determines that the rail property is not necessary for a public purpose and, if real property, the real property is not the subject of a petition under s. 16.310 (2). Upon receipt of the full purchase price, the department shall, by appropriate instrument, transfer the rail property to the purchaser. The funds derived from sales under this subsection shall be deposited in the transportation fund, and the expense incurred by the department in connection with the sale shall be paid from the appropriation under s. 20.395 (2) (bq). 85.09(4m)(4m) Relocation plan. The department is exempt from s. 32.25 (1) if the department determines that acquiring rail property under this section will not result in any displaced persons as defined in s. 32.19 (2) (e). The department shall file a statement of its determinations with the department of administration. 85.09(5)(5) Duties of railroads and others. 85.09(5)(a)(a) Any railroad which places a rail line or portion of a line on a system diagram map shall within 60 days of such action provide to the department one legible copy of each map in the railroad’s possession which shows rail property boundaries or engineering stations for the line involved. At the same time the railroad shall provide to the department all other pertinent information in its possession requested by the department relating to the title to the rail property covered by the line involved. The department shall determine the reasonable cost to the railroad of providing documents and information under this paragraph and shall reimburse the railroad in this amount. Any conveyance by the railroad made without providing the information required by this paragraph is void. 85.09(5)(b)(b) Any state agency, railroad, county or municipality which requests the department to make a determination of abandonment status and public interest in acquisition of rail property under sub. (4) shall provide a formal legal description of the rail property which is the subject of the request. The department may decline to take action on requests which do not contain an adequate description of the rail property involved. When the department provides a release of its first right to acquire rail property, the state agency, railroad, county or municipality which receives the release shall within 90 days have the release recorded by the register of deeds for each county in which the rail property is located. 85.09(6)(6) State rights subordinate to federal law. To the extent that the first or subsequent rights of acquisition under this section conflict with rights conferred by 49 USC 10905 (f) (4) or 10910 (h), the rights conferred by this section are subordinate to such federal rights and shall take effect only when consistent with 49 USC 10905 (f) (4) and 10910 (h). 85.09(7)(7) Rules. The department may adopt such rules as it deems necessary to accomplish the purposes of this section. 85.09 Cross-referenceCross-reference: See also ch. Trans 29, Wis. adm. code. 85.09385.093 Intermodal freight assistance. The department may make grants to public or private applicants for intermodal freight facilities that the department determines have a public purpose. In the 2019-21 fiscal biennium, a grant made under this section shall be paid from the appropriation under s. 20.395 (2) (bu). After July 1, 2021, a grant made under this section shall be paid from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (uw). For the 2019-21 fiscal biennium, grants under this section cannot exceed $1,500,000. 85.093 HistoryHistory: 2019 a. 9. 85.09585.095 Harbor assistance program. 85.095(1)(a)(a) “Eligible applicant” means a county, municipality, town or agency thereof, a board of harbor commissioners organized under s. 30.37, or a person who owns a harbor facility. 85.095(1)(b)(b) “Harbor improvements” means any dock wall repair and maintenance, construction of new dock walls, dredging of materials from a harbor or the placement of dredged materials in containment facilities. 85.095(2)(2) Administration. The department, in consultation with the Wisconsin coastal management council created under s. 14.019, shall administer the harbor assistance program and shall have the following powers: 85.095(2)(a)(a) To make grants for the purpose of reimbursing eligible applicants for moneys expended to make harbor improvements and to fund other harbor assistance and improvement projects. The amount of a grant may not exceed 80 percent of the moneys expended by the eligible applicant for harbor improvements.