Public hearing to be held on the DNR's Surface Water Grant Program
Contact(s): Alison Mikulyuk, DNR lakes and rivers team leader, 608-264-8947
MADISON - The Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on July 10 to provide the public with an opportunity to learn more about the department's surface water grant program and provide comments on the draft of a new administrative rule chapter proposed to govern it. To allow greater participation, the main meeting will be held in Madison on July 10 at 10 a.m. at the Pyle Center in room DE 235, 702 Langdon St., and simulcast to five locations statewide as follows:
- Eau Claire - UW-Eau Claire, Centennial Hall, Room 2904, 1698 Park Avenue
- Green Bay - UW-Green Bay, Instructional Services Building, Room 1034, 2420 Nicolet Drive
- Milwaukee - UW-Milwaukee, Lubar Hall, Room S250, 3202 N Maryland Ave
- Rhinelander - Nicolet Area Technical College, Tamarack Center, Room 110, 5364 College Drive
- Superior - UW-Superior, Swenson Hall, Room 2004, 1610 Weeks Avenue
The hearing will include a brief presentation on the department's effort to consolidate five related administrative code chapters under one new administrative code chapter. The consolidated code will clarify policies, improve customer service and satisfaction, improve administrative consistency and efficiency and is designed to support better and more cost-effective environmental outcomes that serve local needs and advance department management objectives for state surface waters.
The surface water grant program helps local groups protect and restore lakes, rivers and wetlands, and control aquatic invasive species with around $6.5 million provided each year in the form of cost-sharing funds. Local organizations and units of government use the funds to improve the lakes they manage and live on, protect their property values, and ensure the resources are protected and restored for the mutual benefit of nature and society.
Public participation is a critical component of agency rulemaking. The public comment period opened on June 17 and comments will be accepted through July 24. The proposed language can be found under Board Order WY-18-15 on the department's proposed permanent rules site or the department's NR193 web page also has more information. Interested parties should sign up for the Surface Water Grant Program electronic newsletter to receive information as it becomes available.
Written comments may be submitted at the public hearings, by mail or email to:Alison Mikulyuk, Department of Natural Resources, 101 S Webster St., Madison, WI, 53703, 608-264-8947 or to DNRAdministrativeRulesComments@wisconsin.gov. The deadline for submitting public comments is July 24, 2019.