General Program Announcements

Now Available: Beta Version Of New RR Sites Map

Posted on by Coreen Fallat

The RR Sites Map is the Wisconsin DNR’s web-based mapping system that provides information about contaminated properties and other activities related to the investigation and cleanup of contaminated soil or groundwater in Wisconsin. The RR Sites Map is part of the DNR’s Wisconsin Remediation and Redevelopment Database, an interlinked system tracking information on different contaminated land activities. 

The RR Sites Map will be moving to a new platform and will have a new look in July 2024.  

The beta version of the RR Sites Map includes the following improvements over the existing platform:  

  • New layers for contaminated sediment locations, including both points and polygons (visit “Additional Activity Information”) 
  • A new layer for materials management locations (visit “Other BRRTS Activities”) 
  • A condensed toolbar without tabs, making it easier to find tools and information 
  • The ability to mark the map with measurements or shapes and save the map in a file that can be easily reloaded later 
  • The ability to add data from a map service 

Customers can now preview the new beta version of the RR Sites Map and provide feedback or recommendations for the new platform to help the DNR make future improvements. Please contact Geoffrey.House@wisconsin.gov with feedback or questions. 

Rule Advisory Committee Meetings April 12, 2024

Posted on by Jodie Thistle

The NR 700 Rule Advisory Committee will meet with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on Friday, April 12, 2024. 

The DNR formed the Rule Advisory Committee to advise DNR staff during development of proposed rules. The Rule Advisory Committee is comprised of representatives from environmental consulting and law firms, local government groups, industry stakeholders, affected state agencies and environmental advocacy groups. All Rule Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public.

Where:

State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2)
Rm G09
101 S. Webster St.
Madison, WI

Please check-in at the security desk before taking the elevator.
In-person attendees should RSVP to MollyE.Schmidt@wisconsin.gov by noon on Thursday, April 11, 2024.
When:

Friday, April 12, 2024 
9 – 11 a.m. – Continuing Obligations (RR-14-23)
Register to attend via Zoom.

Noon – 2 p.m. Soil Standards (RR-15-23) 
Register to attend via Zoom.

Visit the DNR’s NR 700 Rule Changes webpage to register and view meeting agendas, materials and the full Rule Advisory Committee meeting schedule. Subscribe for updates on future Rule Advisory Committee meetings.

Updates To The RR Presentations & Training Library

Posted on by Christine Sieger

Brownfields Fundamentals logo which is a photo of an old white building with broken windows transitioning into a sketch drawing of a new apartment complex. The words brownfields fundmentals are at the bottom of the image.The Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program provides up-to-date and quality presentations and trainings on a variety of technical and educational topics for environmental professionals, local governments, community organizations, members of the public and others.

The RR Program Presentations & Training Library webpage has added a dedicated section for the Brownfields Fundamentals series. The articles, webinars and panel discussions are designed to provide valuable brownfields cleanup and redevelopment information and resources to local governments and their communities.

RR Program Trainings

  • Brownfields Fundamentals
  • Issues & Trends – Quarterly Zoom webinars providing information on a variety of topics such as DNR and RR Program updates, Wisconsin Administrative rulemaking information, environmental contamination and cleanup and more.
  • Consultants’ Days – Coming to a region near you in 2024! A day-long conference designed for environmental professionals focused on providing presentations, demonstrations, and discussions on environmental cleanup laws, best practices, compliance and guidance. The accordion contains presentations from past conferences.
  • Local Government Days — A day-long conference for local government officials on brownfields redevelopment. This accordion contains presentations from past conferences.

A list of upcoming presentations and trainings is available on the RR Program Presentations & Trainings webpage. If there is a topic you would like addressed in a future webinar, please email Jody.Irland@wisconsin.gov.

DNR Launches New Vapor Intrusion Webpage For Local Governments

Posted on by Christine Sieger

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 19, 2023
Contact: Christine Sieger, DNR Remediation and Redevelopment
Program Director
Christine.Sieger@wisconsin.gov or 608-422-1148

DNR Launches New Vapor Intrusion Webpage For Local Governments

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced a new webpage to help local governments address vapor intrusion in their communities.

The new Vapor Intrusion for Local Governments webpage from the Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program provides tools and resources for local governments to address vapor intrusion in their communities, including information on locating contaminated sites, considerations for development or redevelopment, vapor intrusion prevention and planning resources as well as health information.

“The risk from vapor intrusion is new territory for many municipalities and local health departments,” said Jennifer Borski, Remediation and Redevelopment Program Vapor Intrusion Team Leader. “This webpage is designed specifically for the unique needs of local municipalities as they incorporate consideration of this health risk into their daily work on items such as permitting, redevelopment, road work and planning. Our hope is this webpage will serve to provide readily accessible support and guidance for municipalities and encourage partnership with the DNR’s Remediation and Redevelopment Program in our shared efforts to protect the residents of Wisconsin.”

In addition to the webpage dedicated to local governments, a new landing page has been added to organize vapor intrusion resources into three main categories and provide a streamlined path to the vapor intrusion information each group needs: local governments, environmental professionals and property owners, occupants and the public.

Vapor intrusion is a phenomenon through which vapors from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from chemicals used in commercial activities, such as dry-cleaning chemicals, chemical degreasers and petroleum products like gasoline, enter a building, typically through cracks or gaps in the foundation. These VOC vapors are often colorless and odorless and bring chemicals into the indoor air, which can cause unsafe indoor air quality conditions and result in adverse health effects to building occupants.

The Remediation and Redevelopment Program welcomes feedback on the vapor intrusion webpage improvements. Ideas and suggestions can be sent to DNRRRwebrequests@wisconsin.gov.
More information about the DNR’s brownfields cleanup programs and services is available on the DNR’s brownfields webpage.

Matt Thompson Named RR Program West Central Region Team Supervisor

Posted on by Christine Sieger
Matt Thompson and partner taking a selfie outside on a grassy area.

Matt Thompson and family.

Matt Thompson will take on a management role with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)’s Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program.

Thompson recently accepted a new position as the Team Supervisor in the West Central Region (WCR) stationed in the Eau Claire office.

Thompson joined the RR Program in 2015 as a limited-term employee and is currently the WCR hydrogeologist program coordinator. Prior to the DNR, Thompson worked in the non-metallic mining industry.

He replaces Dave Rozeboom, who took a new position as the WCR Field Integration Leader earlier this year. Thompson will begin his new role Oct. 23, 2023.

Updates To The Bureau Of Remediation And Redevelopment Tracking System (BRRTS) On The Web (BOTW)

Posted on by Christine Sieger

The Bureau of Remediation and Redevelopment Tracking System (BRRTS) on the Web (BOTW) has undergone updates to its Search webpage and added Great Lakes Area of Concern (AOC) information.

Search Page

The BOTW Search webpage has been redesigned to eliminate scrolling. No content has been changed.

Great Lakes Area of Concern (AOC)

“Great Lakes AOC” is now a search criterion on the BOTW Search webpage. Great Lakes AOCs are geographic areas designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) where significant impairment of beneficial uses has occurred as a result of human activities at the local level. Clicking the “Great Lakes AOC” search criteria on BOTW will limit search results to those BRRTS sites within the designated AOCs. AOC information has been added to BOTW Supplemental webpage (provides a list of all BRRTS sites within the designated AOCs in Wisconsin), AOC Detail webpage (defines AOC and provides details for each Wisconsin AOC), and an AOC activity banner has been added to relevant sites.

Please contact Sonya Rowe at Sonya.Rowe@wisconsin.gov if you experience any technical issues.

Hourly Fee Increase For VPLE Program

Posted on by Christine Sieger

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 $115, an increase from the previous rate of $110 per hour. The new fee took effect on July 1, 2023.

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.

 

Updates To Remediation And Redevelopment Program Guidance And Publications Search Tool

Posted on by Christine Sieger

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Remediation And Redevelopment (RR) Program Guidance And Publication Search Tool is currently undergoing maintenance that will result in a new look and web address, https://widnr.widencollective.com/portals/n3gjtfty/RRDocumentSearchPortal.

Starting June 30, 2023, the former web address will no longer be accessible and will result in a ‘page not found’ error. During the transition, both links will be active. Please update your bookmarks as soon as possible.

The update to the search tool includes a visual interface featuring publications, templates and forms as searchable collections. Multiple documents can be selected and downloaded at once and documents can be viewed in the web browser. Traditional search tools (i.e., general search and by subject/keyword) are available in the upper left-hand corner of each collection.

Links to other RR Program webpages, publications and documents should be unaffected. Contact DNRRRWebRequests@wisconsin.gov if you experience any issues.

NR 700 Reporting Due July 30, 2023

Posted on by Christine Sieger

Semi-annual reporting for the period of Jan. 1, 2023, to June 30, 2023, is due by July 30, 2023. Semi-annual reporting is required of responsible parties for all open sites, including those sites the DNR formerly classified as “conditionally closed” in the Bureau for Remediation and Redevelopment Tracking System (BRRTS) online database. Consultants may submit these reports on behalf of responsible parties.

The DNR sent an email with a unique Report Identification (ID) number to contacts of sites listed in the database during early January 2023. If you do not receive an email by June 30, 2023, you can request a Report ID number by submitting the Report ID Request Form.

The Report ID number uniquely identifies the activity you can report, the reporting period and verifies the person using the Report ID is authorized to submit the report. If you have any questions, please contact Tim Zeichert at Timothy.Zeichert@wisconsin.gov or 608-219-2240.

State law requires semi-annual reports from people who meet the definition of a responsible party in Wisconsin Administrative Code ch. NR 700. Property owners, such as local governments, that have an exemption under Wisconsin Statutes §§ 292.11(9)(e) or 292.23 and lenders that have an exemption under Wisconsin Statute § 292.21 for specific properties are not required to submit a semi-annual report for those exempt properties under state law.

Sites formerly classified by the DNR as “conditionally closed” are open sites that have not been granted case closure and, by definition, have remaining action(s) needed (e.g., properly abandoning monitoring wells or investigative waste needing to be removed).

Semi-annual reporting for sites formerly classified as “conditionally closed” should indicate what actions are being taken to complete the remaining actions.
The next reporting period is from July 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2023.

New Web Address For The Bureau Of Remediation And Redevelopment Tracking System (BRRTS) On The Web (BOTW)

Posted on by Christine Sieger

The Bureau of Remediation and Redevelopment Tracking System (BRRTS) on the Web (BOTW) is currently undergoing maintenance that will result in a new web address: https://apps.dnr.wi.gov/botw.

During the transition, both web addresses will be active. Please update your bookmarks as soon as possible.

Links to other RR Program webpages, publications and documents should be unaffected. Contact Sonya Rowe at Sonya.Rowe@wisconsin.gov if you experience any issues.