295.443 Local impact committee; local agreement.

(1) A county, town, village, city, or tribal government likely to be substantially affected by potential or proposed mining may designate an existing committee, or establish a committee, for purposes of:

(a) Facilitating communications between operators and itself.

(b) Analyzing implications of mining.

(c) Reviewing and commenting on reclamation plans.

(d) Developing solutions to mining-induced growth problems.

(e) Recommending priorities for local action.

(f) Formulating recommendations to the investment and local impact fund board regarding distribution of funds under s. 70.395 (2) (g) related to mining for ferrous minerals.

(g) Negotiating a local agreement under sub. (1m).

(1m) A county, town, village, city, or tribal government that requires an operator to obtain an approval or permit under a zoning or land use ordinance and a county, town, village, or city in which any portion of a proposed mining site is located may, individually or in conjunction with other counties, towns, villages, cities, or tribal governments, enter into one or more agreements with an operator for the development of a mining operation. The local agreement may include any of the following:

(a) A legal description of the land subject to the agreement and the names of its legal and equitable owners.

(b) The duration of the agreement.

(c) The uses permitted on the land.

(d) A description of any conditions, terms, restrictions, or other requirements determined to be necessary by the county, town, village, city, or tribal government for the public health, safety, or welfare of its residents.

(e) A description of any obligation undertaken by the county, town, village, city, or tribal government to enable the development to proceed.

(f) The applicability or nonapplicability of county, town, village, city, or tribal ordinances, approvals, or resolutions.

(g) A provision for the amendment of the agreement.

(h) Other provisions determined to be reasonable and necessary by the parties to the agreement.

(2) A county, town, village, city, or tribal government affected in common with another county, town, village, city, or tribal government by a proposed or existing mine may cooperatively designate or establish a joint committee, but may also maintain a separate committee under sub. (1). Committees under this section may include representatives of affected units of government, business, and industry, manpower, health, protective or service agencies, school districts, or environmental and other interest groups or other interested parties.

(3) Persons applying for an exploration license under s. 295.44 shall thereafter appoint a liaison person to any committee established under sub. (1) or (2), and shall provide such reasonable information as is requested by the committee. Operators and persons applying for an exploration license under s. 295.44 shall thereafter make reasonable efforts to design and operate mining operations in harmony with community development objectives.

(4) Committees established under sub. (1) or (2) may be funded by their appointing authority, and may, through their appointing authority, submit a request for operating funds to the investment and local impact fund board under s. 70.395. Committees established under sub. (1) shall be eligible for funds only if the county, town, village, or city is also a participant in a joint committee, if any, established under sub. (2). The investment and local impact fund board may not grant funds for the use of more than one committee established under sub. (1) in relation to a particular mining proposal unless a joint committee has been established under sub. (2). The investment and local impact fund board shall grant operating funds to any committee that submits a request and is eligible under this subsection and s. 70.395 (2) (fm). Committees may hire staff, enter into contracts with private firms or consultants or contract with a regional planning commission or other agency for staff services for mining-related purposes or the purposes under s. 70.395 (2) (fm).

History: 2013 a. 1; 2013 a. 168 s. 21.