Section 50.30. Grant priorities.

  When preparing an annual grant allocation plan under s. ATCP 50.28 , the department shall consider all of the following:

(1)   County priorities. The department shall give high priority to maintaining county staff and project continuity. The department shall consider county priorities identified in the county grant application under s. ATCP 50.26 and in the county's approved land and water resource management plan under s. ATCP 50.12 , and shall balance funding these priorities with those in sub. (2) .

(2)   Statewide priorities. The department shall give priority to county or non-county projects that address statewide priorities identified by the department and DNR. These priorities may include:

(a) Farms that discharge pollutants to waters that DNR has listed pursuant to 33 USC 1313 and 40 CFR 130.7

(b) Farms that pose significant environmental risks based on failure to comply with nutrient management and other farm conservation standards.

(c) Farms discharging substantial pollution to waters of the state, including farms issued a DNR notice of intent under s. 281.20 , Stats., or a DNR notice of discharge under ch. NR 243 .

(d) Farms claiming farmland preservation tax credits under subch. IX of ch. 71 , Stats., and subject to the soil and water conservation requirements under subch. V of ch. 91 , Stats.

(e) Projects related to the control of soil erosion and nonpoint source pollution in which funding is based on the contribution of the activity to the overall pollution problem.

(f) Projects in which funding is coordinated among state agencies to maximize impacts in targeted areas.

(3)   Other factors. The department may consider the following factors when determining grant allocation priorities:

(a) A county's demonstrated commitment to implementing the approved land and water resource management plan under s. ATCP 50.12 , and the strength of the documentation supporting that plan.

(b) A county's demonstrated commitment and capacity to implement and maintain the farm conservation practices required under s. ATCP 50.04 .

(c) The likelihood that funded activities will address and resolve high priority problems identified in approved county land and water resource management plans.

(d) The relative severity and priority of the soil erosion and water quality problems addressed.

(e) The relative cost-effectiveness of funded activities in addressing and resolving high priority problems.

(f) The extent to which funded activities are part of a systematic and comprehensive approach to soil erosion and water quality problems.

(g) The timeliness and completeness of plans, applications, and reports.

(h) The degree to which plans, applications, and reports meet applicable criteria, including the adequacy of performance measures.

(i) A county's demonstrated cooperation and commitment, including its commitment of staff and financial resources.

(j) A county's demonstrated ability to manage and implement funded projects.

(k) The degree to which funded projects contribute to a coordinated soil and water resource management program and avoid duplication of effort.

(L) The degree to which funded projects meet county soil and water resource management needs and state program requirements.

(m) The degree to which county activities implement the county's approved land and water resource management plan.

(n) The county's annual financial contribution for soil and water resource management programs, as last reported under s. ATCP 50.18 (1) (c) .

(o) The need for award caps or other cost control measures to maximize funding available to meet conservation priorities or needs on agricultural lands.

(p) A county's commitment to meet department targets implementing the conservation practices established in the annual grant application.

(r) Other factors relevant to the administration of this chapter.

CR 01-090 : cr. Register September 2002 No. 561 , eff. 10-1-02; CR 13-016 : am. (1) (2) (intro.), (b) to (d), cr. (2) (e), (f), am. (3) (b), (g), (h), (m), renum. (3) (o) to (3) (r), cr. (3) (o), (p) Register February 2014 No. 698 , eff. 5-1-14.

Note

The list of waters under par. (a) is also known as the "303(d) list of impaired waters." Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 The department may work with the DNR and other funding entities to identify sources of financial support to address locally-identified priorities that may not be adequately funded based on statewide priorities in sub. (2). The department may, for example, pursue grant priorities that do not adequately support installment of conservation practices on non-farm or forested land or the control of invasive species. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1