The Voluntary Party Liability Exemption (VPLE) Insurance fee schedule (RR-661) is now updated and available on the DNR website.
The VPLE program allows a party to conduct an assessment and remedial action of an entire property with DNR oversight to obtain a liability exemption. Insurance is required for VPLE sites where groundwater contamination levels are above enforcement standards and the DNR determines that natural attenuation will restore groundwater quality.
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).
Continue reading “DNR Awards Brownfields Grant Valued up to $35,000 to Grant County”
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).
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.
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 | ||
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.
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.
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.
Continue reading “Contaminated Sediments External Advisory Group to Meet October 13, 2020”
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.
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.
