Chapter 295

295.31(1) (1) “Department” means the department of natural resources.

295.31(2) (2) “Exploration” means the on-site geologic examination from the surface of an area by core, rotary, percussion or other drilling for the purpose of searching for oil or gas or establishing the nature and extent of a known oil or gas deposit and includes associated activities such as clearing and preparing sites or constructing roads for drilling. For the purposes of the definition of exploration, geologic examination does not include drill holes constructed for the purpose of collecting soil samples or for determining geologic information by seismic methods.

295.31(3) (3) “Gas” means naturally occurring gaseous hydrocarbons.

295.31(4) (4) “Oil” means naturally occurring liquid hydrocarbons.

295.31(6) (6) “Principal shareholder” means any person that owns at least 10 percent of the beneficial interest of another person.

295.31(7) (7) “Production” means the process involved in the extraction of oil or gas for commercial purposes, and the construction of roads, construction, testing and completion of wells and installation and operation of pipelines, tanks and other necessary equipment for that extraction.

295.31(7m) (7m) “Other waste” includes all other substances, except industrial wastes, as defined in s. 281.01 (5), and sewage, as defined in s. 281.01 (13), which pollute any of the surface waters of the state. The term also includes unnecessary siltation resulting from operations such as the washing of vegetables or raw food products, gravel washing, stripping of lands for development of subdivisions, highways, quarries and gravel pits, mine drainage, cleaning of vehicles or barges or gross neglect of land erosion.

295.31(8) (8) “Person” means an individual, owner, operator, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, municipality, interstate agency, state agency or federal agency.

295.31(8m) (8m) “Related person” means any person that owns or operates an oil or gas exploration or production site in the United States and that is one of the following when an application for an oil or gas exploration or production license is submitted to the department:

295.31(8m)(a) (a) The parent corporation of the applicant.

295.31(8m)(b) (b) A person that holds more than a 30 percent ownership interest in the applicant.

295.31(8m)(c) (c) A subsidiary or affiliate of the applicant in which the applicant holds more than a 30 percent ownership interest.

295.31(9) (9) “Waters of the state” includes those portions of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior within the boundaries of this state, and all lakes, bays, rivers, streams, springs, ponds, wells, impounding reservoirs, marshes, watercourses, drainage systems and other surface water or groundwater, natural or artificial, public or private, within this state or its jurisdiction.

295.31 History History: 1991 a. 262; 1995 a. 227 s. 813, 995; Stats. 1995 s. 295.31.

295.33 295.33 Oil and gas exploration and production.

295.33(1) (1) No person may engage in the exploration for oil or gas without a license from the department.

295.33(2) (2) No person may engage in the production of oil or gas without a license from the department.

295.33(3) (3) No person may commit waste in the exploration for or in the production of oil or gas.

295.33(4) (4) No person may conduct drilling operations for the exploration for or production of oil or gas if the drilling extends beneath the beds of the Great Lakes or bays or harbors that are adjacent to the Great Lakes, notwithstanding s. 30.20 (2) (b).

295.33(5) (5) No person holding an oil or gas exploration or production license may engage a general contractor or affiliate to operate an oil or gas exploration or production site if the general contractor or affiliate has 2 or more felony convictions for violation of a law for the protection of the natural environment arising out of the operation of an oil or gas exploration or production site in the United States within 10 years before the issuance of the person’s license, unless the general contractor or affiliate receives the department’s approval of a plan to prevent the occurrence in this state of events similar to the events that directly resulted in the convictions.

295.33 History History: 1991 a. 262; 1995 a. 227 s. 814; Stats. 1995 s. 295.33; 2001 a. 16.

295.35 295.35 Departmental powers and duties; oil and gas.

295.35(1) (1) The department shall establish a licensing procedure for oil and gas exploration and production in this state. The procedure shall require the applicant to do all of the following:

295.35(1)(a) (a) Submit any information that the department considers necessary to determine whether the applicant is competent to conduct oil and gas exploration, production and site reclamation and to determine whether the requirements of sub. (5) are satisfied.

295.35(1)(b) (b) Submit any information necessary for the department to determine whether the proposed exploration, production and site reclamation will comply with this subchapter and rules promulgated under this subchapter.

295.35(1)(c) (c) Pay fees to cover the costs of plan review and licensing.

295.35(1)(d) (d) File with the department a bond conditioned on the faithful performance of all of the requirements of this subchapter and rules promulgated under this subchapter.

295.35(2) (2) The department shall promulgate rules to protect the waters of the state, air, soil, plants, fish and wildlife from the adverse effects of oil and gas exploration and production, including rules relating to all of the following:

295.35(2)(a) (a) Location, construction, operation and maintenance of wells and ancillary facilities to provide the greatest practicable protection to the environment.

295.35(2)(b) (b) Disposal of waste liquids encountered or produced in oil and gas exploration and production.

295.35(2)(c) (c) Plugging of wells and abandonment and reclamation of well sites and mud pits and all other ancillary facilities to provide long-term environmental protection.

295.35(2)(d) (d) Reclamation of affected land when exploration and production are completed.

295.35(2)(e) (e) Competence of an applicant to conduct oil and gas exploration, production and site reclamation.

295.35(3) (3) The department shall promulgate rules to prevent waste in the exploration for or the production of oil and gas, including rules related to all of the following:

295.35(3)(a) (a) Prevention of the escape of oil or gas from one stratum to another, and water or brine into oil and gas strata.

295.35(3)(b) (b) Prevention of the premature or irregular encroachment of water that reduces the total recovery of oil and gas.

295.35(3)(c) (c) Prevention of fires, explosions, blowouts, seepage or caving.

295.35(3)(d) (d) Secondary recovery methods of oil or gas.

295.35(3)(e) (e) Spacing of wells.

295.35(3)(f) (f) Regulation of well production, including the allocation of allowable production in any field or pool.

295.35(3)(g) (g) Operation of wells with efficient ratios of gas to oil.

295.35(5) (5) The department may not issue a license for oil or gas exploration or production if it finds any of the following:

295.35(5)(a) (a) That the applicant has violated and continues to fail to comply with this subchapter or any rule promulgated under this subchapter.

295.35(5)(b) (b) That the applicant, a principal shareholder of the applicant or a related person has, within 10 years before the application is submitted, forfeited a reclamation bond for oil or gas exploration or production that was posted in accordance with a permit, license or other approval for an oil or gas exploration or production site in the United States, unless the forfeiture was by agreement with the entity for whose benefit the bond was posted and the amount of the bond was sufficient to cover all costs of reclamation.

295.35(5)(c) (c) That the applicant, a related person or an officer or director of the applicant has, within 10 years before the application is submitted, 2 or more felony convictions for violations of laws for the protection of the natural environment arising out of the operation of an oil or gas exploration or production site in the United States, unless one of the following applies:

295.35(5)(c)1. 1. The court ordered the person convicted, as part of the sentence or as a condition of probation, to engage in activities to remedy the violation and the person has complied with that order.

295.35(5)(c)2. 2. The person convicted is a related person or an officer or director of the applicant with whom the applicant terminates its relationship.

295.35(5)(c)3. 3. The applicant included in its license application under sub. (1) a plan to prevent the occurrence in this state of events similar to the events that directly resulted in the convictions.

295.35(5)(cm) (cm) That the applicant, a related person or an officer or director of the applicant or a related person has, within 10 years before the application is submitted, been required to forfeit more than $10,000 for a violation of a law for the protection of the natural environment arising out of the operation of an oil and gas exploration or production site in the United States, unless one of the following applies:

295.35(5)(cm)1. 1. The court ordered the person who was required to forfeit more than $10,000 to engage in activities to remedy the violation and the person has complied with that order.

295.35(5)(cm)2. 2. The person who was required to forfeit more than $10,000 is a related person with whom the applicant has terminated its relationship.

295.35(5)(cm)3. 3. The applicant included in the license application a plan to prevent the occurrence in this state of events similar to the events that directly resulted in the forfeiture.

295.35(5)(d) (d) That the applicant or a related person has, within 10 years before the application is submitted, declared bankruptcy or undergone dissolution that resulted in the failure to reclaim an oil or gas exploration or production site in the United States in violation of a state or federal law and that failure has not been remedied and is not being remedied.

295.35(5)(e) (e) That, within 10 years before the application is submitted, a license or other approval for oil or gas exploration or production issued to the applicant or a related person was permanently revoked because of a failure to reclaim an oil or gas exploration or production site in the United States in violation of state or federal law and that failure has not been and is not being remedied.

295.35(6) (6) The department may not deny a license for oil or gas exploration or production under sub. (5) if the person subject to the convictions, forfeiture, permanent revocation, bankruptcy or dissolution is a related person but the applicant shows that the person was not the parent corporation of the applicant, a person that holds more than a 30 percent ownership in the applicant, or a subsidiary or affiliate of the applicant in which the applicant holds more than a 30 percent interest at the time of the convictions, forfeiture, permanent revocation, bankruptcy or dissolution.

295.35 History History: 1991 a. 262; 1995 a. 227 s. 815; Stats. 1995 s. 295.35.

295.37 295.37 Penalties; oil and gas.

295.37(1) (1) Any person who makes or causes to be made in an application or report required under this subchapter a statement known to the person to be false or misleading in any material respect or who refuses to submit information required by the department under this subchapter may be fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000.

295.37(2) (2) Any person who violates this subchapter or any order issued or rule promulgated under this subchapter may be required to forfeit not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000 for each violation. Each day of violation is a separate offense.

295.37(3) (3) 

295.37(3)(a) (a) If a person makes or causes to be made in an application or report required under this subchapter a statement known to the person to be false or misleading and that statement is material to the issuance of an exploration or production license, the department may revoke the license. If a person holding an exploration or production license repeatedly makes or causes to be made in an application or report required under this subchapter a statement known to the person to be false or misleading in any material respect or refuses to submit information required by the department under this subchapter, the department may revoke the license.

295.37(3)(b) (b) If a person holding an exploration or production license continues to violate this subchapter after the department has issued an order to cease those violations, the department shall revoke the license.

295.37(4) (4) Any oil or gas produced in violation of this subchapter or any order issued or rule promulgated under this subchapter, or any product manufactured from that oil or gas, is subject to confiscation. The department may seize that oil, gas or products and request the department of justice to commence an action to confiscate the oil, gas or products.

295.37 History History: 1991 a. 262; 1995 a, 227 s. 816; Stats. 1995 s. 295.37.

subch. III of ch. 295 SUBCHAPTER III

FERROUS METALLIC MINING

295.40 295.40 Legislative findings. The legislature finds all of the following:

295.40(1) (1) That attracting and aiding new mining enterprises and expanding the mining industry in Wisconsin is part of Wisconsin public policy.

295.40(2) (2) That mining for nonferrous metallic minerals is different from mining for ferrous minerals because in mining for nonferrous metallic minerals, sulfide minerals react, when exposed to air and water, to form acid drainage.

295.40(3) (3) That if the mineral products and waste materials associated with nonferrous metallic sulfide mining operations are not properly managed and controlled, they can cause significant damage to the environment, affect human health, and degrade the quality of life of the affected community.

295.40(4) (4) That the special concerns surrounding nonferrous metallic mining warrant more stringent regulatory measures than those warranted for ferrous mineral mining operations.

295.40(5) (5) That the provisions in ch. 293, 2011 stats., are a deterrent to ferrous mineral mining in this state and are not necessary to ensure that ferrous mineral mining will be conducted in an environmentally sound manner.

295.40(6) (6) That simplifying and shortening the permitting process for ferrous mineral mining when compared to nonferrous metallic mineral mining, as Minnesota and Michigan have done, will encourage ferrous mineral mining in Wisconsin and create jobs and generate resources for the state.

295.40(7) (7) That because of the fixed location of ferrous mineral deposits in the state, it is probable that mining those deposits will result in adverse impacts to wetlands and that, therefore, the use of wetlands for bulk sampling and mining activities, including the disposal or storage of mining wastes or materials, or the use of other lands for mining activities that would have a significant adverse impact on wetlands, is presumed to be necessary.

295.40 History History: 2013 a. 1.

295.41 295.41 Definitions. In this subchapter:

295.41(1) (1) “Air pollution” means the presence in the atmosphere of one or more air contaminants in such quantities and of such duration as is injurious to human health or welfare, animal or plant life, or property.

295.41(2) (2) “Applicant” means a person who applies for, or is preparing to apply for, an exploration license or a mining permit or who files a bulk sampling plan.

295.41(3) (3) 

295.41(3)(a) (a) “Approval” means, except as provided in par. (b), any permit, license, certification, contract, or other authorization that the department issues, or any other action by the department, that is required for exploration, to engage in bulk sampling at a bulk sampling site, or to construct or operate a mining site, including any action required for any of the following:

295.41(3)(a)1. 1. The withdrawal of land entered as county forest land under s. 28.11 and any modification of, or amendment to, a county forest land use plan necessitated by the withdrawal of the land.

295.41(3)(a)2. 2. The withdrawal of land entered as forest cropland under s. 77.10.

295.41(3)(a)3. 3. The withdrawal of land designated as managed forest land under subch. VI of ch. 77 and any modification of, or amendment to, a managed forest land management plan necessitated by the withdrawal of the land.

295.41(3)(b) (b) “Approval” does not include a permit, license, certification, contract, or other authorization related to the construction of any new plant, equipment, property, or facility for the production, transmission, delivery, or furnishing of power.

295.41(4) (4) “Background water quality” means the concentration of a substance in groundwater as determined by monitoring at locations that will not be affected by a mining site.

295.41(5) (5) “Baseline water quality” means the concentration of a substance in groundwater or surface water as determined by monitoring before mining operations begin.

295.41(6) (6) “Borrow materials” means soil or rock used in construction or reclamation activities.

295.41(7) (7) “Bulk sampling” means excavating in a potential mining site by removing less than 10,000 tons of material for the purposes of obtaining site-specific data to assess the quality and quantity of the ferrous mineral deposits and of collecting data from and analyzing the excavated materials in order to prepare the application for a mining permit or for any other approval.

295.41(8) (8) “Closing” means the time at which a mining waste site ceases to accept mining wastes.