AB444,9132 Section 9132. Nonstatutory provisions; Natural Resources.

AB444,39,18 (1) Emergency rules for PFAS municipal grant program. The department of natural resources may use the procedure under s. 227.24 to promulgate emergency rules relating to the municipal grant program under s. 292.66. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (a) and (3), when promulgating emergency rules under this subsection, the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (e) 1d. and 1g., for emergency rules promulgated under this subsection, the department is not required to prepare a statement of scope of the rules or to submit the proposed rules in final draft form to the governor for approval.

AB444,39,22 (2) Land conservation and recreation grants. From the appropriation under s. 20.370 (1) (ma), in fiscal year 2021-22 the department of natural resources shall fund all of the following conservation and recreational projects in the following amounts:

AB444,39,24 (a) A grant to West Wisconsin Land Trust to acquire land in the town of Peru in the county of Dunn, $706,045.

AB444,40,2 (b) A grant to West Wisconsin Land Trust to acquire land in the town of Maxville in the county of Buffalo, $460,545.

AB444,40,3 (c) A grant to the city of Milwaukee to redevelop Modrzejewski Park, $773,910.

AB444,40,4 (d) A grant to the city of Ashland to redevelop Kreher Park, $601,000.

AB444,40,6 (e) Department of natural resources' acquisition of land for the Jefferson Marsh Wildlife Area, $325,000.

AB444,40,8 (f) A grant to Jefferson County to develop an interurban recreation trail between Watertown and Oconomowoc, $655,252.

AB444,40,9 (g) A grant to the city of West Bend to develop the Riverwalk South, $617,208.

AB444,40,11 (h) A grant to the village of Sister Bay to acquire land on the bay of Green Bay, $785,185.

AB444,40,13 (i) A grant to the village of Egg Harbor to acquire land on the bay of Green Bay, $470,250.

AB444,9138 Section 9138. Nonstatutory provisions; Safety and Professional Services.

AB444,41,2 (1) Septage characterization study. The department of safety and professional services shall fund a septage characterization study by the Department of Soil and Waste Resources of the College of Natural Resources of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The study shall analyze and make recommendations on practices to mitigate the risk of contamination of the state's groundwater and surface waters through the strategic and data-driven application of septage at sites approved by the department of natural resources. The Department of Soil and Waste Resources of the College of Natural Resources of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point shall prepare a report detailing the results of the study and shall submit the report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature in the manner provided under s. 13.172 (3) no later than December 31, 2022.

AB444,9142 Section 9142. Nonstatutory provisions; Technical College System.

AB444,41,7 (1) Grant for manufacturing engineering apprenticeship center. From the appropriation under s. 20.292 (1) (f), in the 2021-22 fiscal year, the technical college system board shall award a $9,600,000 grant to Mid-State Technical College for a manufacturing engineering apprenticeship center.

AB444,9143 Section 9143. Nonstatutory provisions; Tourism.

AB444,41,9 (1) Destination marketing grants.

AB444,41,10 (a) Definitions. In this subsection:

AB444,41,12 1. “Governmental organization” means a department or a subunit of a county, city, village, town, or federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state.

AB444,41,16 2. “Tourism promotion and development organization” means a nonprofit organization or a governmental organization whose primary purpose is the promotion and development of tourism to or within this state or a particular region in this state.

AB444,41,21 (b) Continuation of operations grants. From the appropriation under s. 20.380 (1) (c), the department of tourism shall award grants to tourism promotion and development organizations, other than governmental organizations, adversely affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic to assist those organizations to remain operational.

AB444,41,25 (c) Tourism marketing grants. From the appropriation under s. 20.380 (1) (c), the department of tourism shall award grants to tourism promotion and development organizations for purposes of short-term tourism marketing in connection with this state's recovery from the COVID-19 global pandemic.

AB444,42,4 (d) Grant limits. No organization may receive grants under pars. (b) and (c ) that in the aggregate exceed the lesser of $1,000,000 or 50 percent of the organization's average annual tourism marketing budget for the preceding 3 years, not including 2020.

AB444,9147 Section 9147. Nonstatutory provisions; University of Wisconsin System.

AB444,42,11 (1) Positions for partnership program for Lake Superior Research Institute. The authorized FTE positions for the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, funded from the appropriation under s. 20.285 (1) (bm), are increased by 5.0 GPR positions for the partnership program for the Lake Superior Research Institute under s. 36.25 (40).

AB444,9149 Section 9149. Nonstatutory provisions; Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

AB444,42,14 (1) Purchase of the Verso Paper Mill in Wisconsin Rapids.

AB444,42,21 (a) No later than the first day of the 25th month beginning after the effective date of this paragraph, from the appropriation under s. 20.192 (1) (c), the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation may award a loan of up to $50,000,000 to the Consolidated Cooperative for the purchase of the Verso Paper Mill, located at 600 4th Avenue North in the city of Wisconsin Rapids. The loan shall be for the term and upon the conditions as may be agreed upon between the corporation and the cooperative.