NR 155.20(2) (2) Funding.

NR 155.20(2)(a) (a) The department shall, where practicable, issue grants to grantees by December 31 for work in the following calendar year. The department may limit grant awards based on the amount of funding available, the funding demand in any year and the factors in pars. (b) to (h).

NR 155.20(2)(b) (b) If the statewide application demand exceeds available funding, the department shall establish a maximum total amount of funding which a grantee may receive in multiple grant awards for the application year. This amount may not exceed 20 percent of the grant funds available in the grant year for projects funded under this chapter, or the amount established by the department under par. (c) for that grant year, whichever is greater.

NR 155.20(2)(c) (c) The department may establish a maximum grant award amount that any single project can receive in grant awards based upon the amount of funding available in that category of grants for that grant cycle and the amount of funding demand for that period.

NR 155.20(2)(d) (d) The department shall make adjustments to the requested grant amount if necessary to correct errors made by the applicant concerning eligibility of items for cost-sharing and errors in cost-share rates used in developing the application.

NR 155.20(2)(e) (e) The department may offer an award of less than the amount requested if that is the only funding remaining. In these circumstances, the applicant is required to complete the project as specified in the application if funds are accepted.

NR 155.20(2)(f) (f) Prior to issuing a grant, the department may require submittal of an environmental hazards site assessment for projects involving excavation. The assessment shall be submitted on a form available from the department.

NR 155.20 Note Note: Forms can be obtained from the department’s Bureau of Watershed Management or the department’s Bureau of Community Financial Assistance, 101 S. Webster St., PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921.

NR 155.20(2)(g) (g) If the department determines, following scoring, that a project may have unacceptable impacts on endangered, threatened, or wetland resources, historic places or historic properties, or that it may expose environmental hazards at the project location, it may do any of the following:

NR 155.20(2)(g)1. 1. Decide not to provide a grant for the project.

NR 155.20(2)(g)2. 2. Place a condition on a grant requiring that the grantee take specific actions or develop a plan to reduce or eliminate the impacts of the project.

NR 155.20(2)(h) (h) The department may deny a grant for a project that otherwise scores well enough to be funded if the applicant is or has been delinquent in meeting grant commitments for previously funded projects.

NR 155.20 Note Note: In addition, s. NR 154.04 (2) (k) states that all required permits, including those mandated by the department, shall be obtained prior to installing a best management practice listed in this chapter.

NR 155.20 History History: CR 00-025: cr. Register September 2002 No. 561, eff. 10-1-02; CR 09-112: r. and recr. Register December 2010 No. 660, eff. 1-1-11.

NR 155.21 NR 155.21 Runoff management grant agreement.

NR 155.21(1) (1) Purpose.

NR 155.21(1)(a) (a) The department shall use the runoff management grant agreement to commit funds to a governmental unit or the Board of Regents for the purpose of implementing urban best management practices for a project selected under s. NR 155.20.

NR 155.21 Note Note: In this situation, the department is a grantor of funds to the governmental unit or Board of Regents. The governmental unit or Board of Regents serves as a grantee in receiving funds from the department. A governmental unit may also serve as a provider of those funds to cost-share recipients such as landowners and land operators.

NR 155.21(1)(b) (b) The department may use the runoff management grant agreement in lieu of a cost-share agreement required under s. NR 155.22 with a governmental unit or the Board of Regents for the installation of a urban best management practice on land the governmental unit or Board of Regents owns or operates. The department may also may use the runoff management grant agreement in lieu of a cost-share agreement required under s. NR 155.22 with a governmental unit not having jurisdiction over the project area if the local government is required to control storm water discharges under s. 283.33, Stats., provided that inter-governmental agreements are in place, or will be put in place, as needed to assure the measure is installed and maintained. Runoff management grant agreements used in lieu of cost-share agreements shall comply with the requirements of s. NR 155.22.

NR 155.21 Note Note: In this situation, the department is a grantor of funds to the governmental unit or Board of Regents. The governmental unit or Board of Regents receiving these funds serves as the grantee.

NR 155.21(2) (2) Grant period length.

NR 155.21(2)(a) (a) The department may set the grant period for up to 2 years, except that the department may approve an extension for one year. The start of the grant period shall be that specified on the signed grant award.

NR 155.21(2)(b) (b) To receive an extension, a grantee shall submit a written request to the department. The request shall meet all the following requirements:

NR 155.21(2)(b)1. 1. Be received by the department prior to the expiration of the grant period.

NR 155.21(2)(b)2. 2. Identify how the additional time will result in a significant reduction in the pollutant loading from the project area or otherwise further the intent of the project.

NR 155.21(2)(b)3. 3. Specify the reasons which necessitate the grant extension which were beyond the control of the grantee.

NR 155.21(3) (3) Local government responsibilities as a runoff management grantee and cost-share provider. The department shall require the governmental unit to do all of the following as conditions of receiving a runoff management grant when the governmental unit will use the grant funds to provide cost sharing to landowners and land operators.

NR 155.21(3)(a) (a) Execute a runoff management grant agreement with the department for grant funds necessary to administer cost-share agreements with eligible landowners and land operators. This requirement may be waived if the department and the governmental unit agree to delegate these responsibilities to another governmental unit with jurisdiction sufficient to meet all the conditions of the grant.

NR 155.21(3)(b) (b) Enter into cost-share agreements with eligible recipients located within the project area. This requirement may be waived if the department and the governmental unit agree to delegate this responsibility to another governmental unit with jurisdiction sufficient to enforce all the conditions of the cost-share agreement.