The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) increased the hourly fee for the review of technical documents submitted through the Voluntary Party Liability Exemption (VPLE) program. Wis. Admin. Code § NR 750.07(2) requires the DNR to calculate the hourly billing rate each year.

The new hourly rate is $110, an increase from the $105 rate that has been in effect since 2014. The new fee took effect on July 1, 2021.

Many developers, lenders and prospective purchasers of brownfields choose to enroll in the VPLE program versus a traditional cleanup path since the program provides certain liability assurances helpful to investors and future property owners. Additional information regarding the VPLE program is available on the VPLE program webpage here.