281.37 Wetland mitigation grant program.

(1) In this subsection:

(a) “Department land” means land owned by or under easement to the state that is under the jurisdiction of the department and used for one of the purposes specified in s. 23.09 (2) (d).

(b) “Mitigation program” means the wetland mitigation grant program established under sub. (2).

(c) “Nonprofit organization" means an organization that is described in section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and that is exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(2) The department shall establish a wetland mitigation grant program under which it awards grants to nonprofit organizations to conduct projects to create, restore, or enhance wetlands under the in lieu fee subprogram in s. 281.36 (3r) (e) on department land as provided in this subsection.

(3) No later than 6 months after March 30, 2018, the department shall identify department land that is appropriate to include in the mitigation program. The department shall identify no less than 25 percent of department land for this purpose. The land identified shall include land in every watershed in the state.

(4)

(a) No later than 3 months after completion of the land identification stage under sub. (3) or at the beginning of the following fiscal year, whichever is earlier, and no later than July 1 of each subsequent year, the department shall issue a request for proposals from nonprofit organizations for grants to conduct wetland mitigation projects on department land identified under sub. (3). The issuance of each new request for proposal begins a new grant cycle.

(b) The department shall require applications for grants under this section to include all of the following:

1. The scope of the proposed project.

2. A project timeline.

3. If possible, a specification of the functional values or uses listed in s. NR 103.03 (1), Wis. Adm. Code, that the project area does not provide or only sparsely provides.

4. A specification of the functional values or uses listed in s. NR 103.03 (1), Wis. Adm. Code, that the proposed project would create, restore, or enhance.

5. All information required to be submitted for approval to the U.S. army corps of engineers under 33 CFR part 332 and the Wisconsin Wetland Conservation Trust program instrument.

(c) After issuing the request for proposals under par. (a), the department shall accept grant applications on a rolling basis over the course of a fiscal year. The department shall select and announce grant recipients under this subsection at the end of each quarter as funds are available.

(5)

(a) If an application under sub. (4) is approved, the grantee and the department, in consultation, shall identify all department permits required for the grantee to conduct the project. The department shall waive all permit fees for the grantee in relation to department permits required to conduct the project.

(b) Notwithstanding timelines otherwise established for individual permits, within 60 days of receiving the grantee's application for an individual permit that is required to conduct the project, the department shall render a decision issuing, denying, or modifying the permit, and the department shall adjust all other deadlines relating to the review of the application accordingly.

(7)

(a) The department shall pay out a grant under the mitigation program quarterly unless the department determines that more frequent payments are necessary to fulfill the objectives of the grant program. The department shall withhold the final payment until the grantee certifies that the project is complete.

(b) If the grantee fails to certify that the project is complete by the date indicated for completion in its application, the department shall use the remaining unpaid grant amount to either complete the project or contract with or issue a grant to another nonprofit organization to complete the project. An organization that fails to certify completion of a project by the date indicated in its application for completion is not eligible for a new grant under the mitigation program for 2 grant cycles.

(c) The department may agree to a modified deadline for the project if unusual or unforeseen circumstances cause a delay. If the department agrees to a modified deadline, the consequences under par. (b) apply only if the grantee fails to certify that a project is complete by the date indicated in that agreement.

(8) Before 6 months have elapsed after the 5th anniversary of the department's first issuance of a request for proposals under sub. (4), the department shall submit to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) a report analyzing the effectiveness of the first 5 years of the mitigation program and making recommendations for changes to the program.

History: 2017 a. 183.