DNR Awards Brownfields Grant Valued up to $35,000 to Grant County

An abandoned downtown property in Lancaster with a 25-year history of petroleum contamination is getting closer to being cleaned up and marketable to possible buyers with assistance from a brownfields grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

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DNR Awards Brownfields Grant Valued up to $35,000 to City of Stoughton Redevelopment Authority

A blighted riverfront property in Stoughton is on the way to being cleaned up with assistance from a brownfields grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

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Public comment period for NR 700 proposed rule changes ends Oct. 23, 2020

Please be reminded that the public comment period for emergency rule RR-11-17(E) and proposed permanent rule RR-10-17 is open now through October 23, 2020. Details on how to provide comments are included in the public hearing notice.

These rule changes affect the Wis. Admin. Code NR 700 rule series related to remediation of hazardous substance discharges and environmental pollution. The changes relate to implementation of 2015 Wisconsin Act 204 and 2017 Wisconsin Act 70, direction for cleanup of sites with contaminated sediments, and other changes needed to update, clarify, and promote consistency within Wis. Admin. Code chs. NR 700-799.

Further information on this rulemaking can be found on the NR 700-799 rule changes web page at: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Brownfields/RuleChanges.html.

Monthly PECFA Financial Summaries: March – September, 2020

The Remediation and Redevelopment Program provides updates on the status of the Petroleum Environmental Cleanup Fund Award (PECFA) program claims and the overall PECFA budget.

Please note that the PECFA program ended on June 30, 2020. The “sunset date” is found in Wis. Stat. § 292.63(3)(ac).

The DNR does not have statutory authority to unilaterally change or amend a deadline found in statute as that authority is exclusive to the state legislature.

The monthly financial summaries are as follows:

Month Claims Number Value
March
Claims Received 53 $258,848
Claims Paid 14 $84,777
Claims in Audit Line (as of 3/31/20) 86 $458,357
Total Paid FY20 $4,366,043
April
Claims Received 137 $745,336
Claims Paid 39 $187,274
Claims in Audit Line (as of 4/30/20) 185 $1,014,502
Total Paid FY20 $4,553,317
May Claims Received 81 $316,980
Claims Paid 114 $502,096
Claims in Audit Line (as of 5/31/20) 150 $797,012
Total Paid FY20 $5,055,413
June Claims Received 278 $3,006,690
Claims Paid 22 $89,254
Claims in Audit Line (as of 6/30/20) 356 $2,750,738
Total Paid FY20 $5,114,667
July Claims Received 38 $516,072
Claims Paid 173 $917,495
Claims in Audit Line (as of 7/31/20) 289 $3,457,844
Total Paid FY21 $917,496
August  Claims Received 0 $0
Claims Paid 131 $1,349,346
Claims in Audit Line (as of 8/31/20) 148 $1,939,423
Total Paid FY21 $2,266,824
Sept. Claims Received 0 $0
Claims Paid 126 $1,503,132
Claims in Audit Line (as of 9/30/20) 18 $361,784
Total Paid FY21 $3,769,956

Reminder: Issues & Trends Webinar on October 21, 2020; PFAS Discussion with Ginny Yingling, MN Dept. of Health

The Remediation and Redevelopment Program reminds you that it will present the next installment of its Issues & Trends webinar series next week on Wednesday, October 21, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The scheduled presentation is PFAS: Fate & Transport, Site Characterization and Remediation.

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Reminder: Issues & Trends Webinar on October 21, 2020: PFAS Presentation by Ginny Yingling of the MN Dept. of Health

The Remediation and Redevelopment Program reminds you that the next webinar in the Issues & Trends series will take place on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The scheduled presentation is PFAS: Fate & Transport, Site Characterization and Remediation.

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Contaminated Sediments External Advisory Group to Meet October 13, 2020

The Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program will host an online meeting of the Contaminated Sediments External Advisory Group (EAG) on Tuesday, October 13, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

The meeting will be conducted via Zoom web and video conferencing. Participants may join the session via the preceding link, or by dialing 312-626-6799 and using this meeting ID number: 974 2674 4513.

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RR Program Seeks Input on Map Tool

The Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program seeks your input and advice that will help guide future refinement of the RR Sites Map (RRSM), the visual component and counterpart to the Bureau for Remediation and Redevelopment Tracking System (BRRTS) on the Web (BOTW).

A brief survey is now available to gather your feedback on the RR Sites Map. The RR Program wants to gain a better understanding of the customers who use the application and how they use it.

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RR Program Seeks Spill Coordinators for Northern and Southeast Regions

The Wisconsin DNR’s Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) program is hiring two  Regional Spill Coordinators. A position description is available here.

One position will be stationed in Milwaukee in the Southeast Region. The other will be stationed in the Northern Region, in one of several location options including Rhinelander, Ashland, Antigo and Spooner.

Please note that DNR staff are teleworking during the current phase of the state employee Bounce Back Plan. These positions will report to their prescribed Regional Offices with a return to normal business operations.

The deadline to apply for either Spill Coordinator position is September 21, 2020.

For additional information, please see the job announcement.

Public hearing for NR 700 proposed rule changes on Oct. 16, 2020

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announces that it will hold a public hearing on October 16, 2020, to receive public comment and feedback on emergency rule RR-11-17(E) and proposed permanent rule RR-10-17. The DNR will hold one public hearing for both rules. The hearing will be held via Skype. Meeting registration and details are available in the public hearing notice.

Written comments on the rules may be submitted any time before or on October 23, 2020. Details on how to provide comments are included in the public hearing notice.

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