281.63(4)(c) (c) Facility planning; engineering design. Only a municipality which has completed facility planning and engineering design requirements for a combined sewer overflow abatement project is eligible to receive financial assistance under the combined sewer overflow abatement financial assistance program.

281.63(5) (5) Application. A municipality which seeks financial assistance under the combined sewer overflow abatement financial assistance program shall submit an application to the department. The application shall be in the form and include the information the department prescribes by rule. The department shall review all applications for financial assistance under this program. The department shall determine those applications which meet the eligibility requirements of this section.

281.63(6) (6) Priority. Each municipality shall notify the department of its intent to apply for financial assistance under the combined sewer overflow abatement financial assistance program. For those municipalities that notify the department of their intention to apply for financial assistance under this program by December 31, the department shall establish annually a priority list which ranks these projects in the same order as they appear on the list prepared under s. 281.57 (6) (a).

281.63(7) (7) Payment. Upon the completion by the municipality of all application requirements, the department may enter into an agreement with the municipality for a grant of up to 50 percent of the eligible construction costs of a combined sewer overflow abatement project if the municipality can begin construction within 3 months after the department is ready to allocate funds.

281.63(8) (8) Advance commitments for reimbursement of engineering design costs. The department may make an advance commitment to a municipality for the reimbursement of engineering design costs from funds appropriated under s. 20.866 (2) (to) subject to all of the following requirements:

281.63(8)(a) (a) The advance commitment shall include a provision making the reimbursement of engineering design costs conditional on the award of a construction grant.

281.63(8)(b) (b) The advance commitment may be made only for engineering design activities commenced after the department makes the advance commitment.

281.63(8)(c) (c) The advance commitment may be made only if the municipality has completed all facility planning requirements.

281.63(8)(d) (d) The advance commitment may be made only for engineering design costs related to a project that is eligible for assistance under sub. (4).

281.63(8)(e) (e) The advance commitment shall be subject to a priority determination system consistent with sub. (6).

281.65(1)(a) (a) Provide the necessary administrative framework and financial assistance for the implementation of measures to meet nonpoint source water pollution abatement needs identified in areawide water quality management plans.

281.65(1)(b) (b) Provide coordination with all elements of the state's water quality program in order to ensure that all activities and limited resources are optimally allocated in the achievement of this state's water quality goals.

281.65(1)(c) (c) Provide technical and financial assistance for the application of necessary nonpoint source water pollution abatement measures.

281.65(1)(d) (d) Focus limited technical and financial resources in critical geographic locations where nonpoint source related water quality problems and threats are the most severe and control is most feasible.

281.65(1)(e) (e) Provide for program evaluation, subsequent modifications and recommendations.

281.65(2)(a) (a) “Best management practices" means practices, techniques or measures, except for dredging, identified in areawide water quality management plans, which are determined to be effective means of preventing or reducing pollutants generated from nonpoint sources, or from the sediments of inland lakes polluted by nonpoint sources, to a level compatible with water quality objectives established under this section and which do not have an adverse impact on fish and wildlife habitat. The practices, techniques or measures include land acquisition, storm sewer rerouting and the removal of structures necessary to install structural urban best management practices, facilities for the handling and treatment of milkhouse wastewater, repair of fences built using grants under this section and measures to prevent or reduce pollutants generated from mine tailings disposal sites for which the department has not approved a plan of operation under s. 289.30 or s. 295.51.

281.65(2)(am) (am) “Governmental unit" means any governmental unit including, but not limited to, a county, city, village, town, metropolitan sewerage district created under ss. 200.01 to 200.15 or 200.21 to 200.65, town sanitary district, public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district, regional planning commission or drainage district operating under ch. 89, 1961 stats., or ch. 88. “Governmental unit" does not include the state or any state agency.

281.65(2)(b) (b) “Nonpoint source" means a land management activity which contributes to runoff, seepage or percolation which adversely affects or threatens the quality of waters of this state and which is not a point source as defined under s. 283.01 (12).

281.65(2)(be) (be) “Priority lake" means any lake or group of lakes that are identified under sub. (3) (am).

281.65(2)(bs) (bs) “Priority lake area" means a priority lake and the area surrounding the priority lake designated by the department for the implementation of the nonpoint source pollution abatement project for the priority lake.