Section 198.43. Plan submittal and approval.

  Sponsors shall prepare a management plan and submit it to the department for approval before applying for a control project under s. NR 198.42 (1) (a) .

(1)  A management plan shall include all of the following:

(a) An identification of the problems or threat to the aquatic ecosystem presented by the aquatic invasive species including recreational uses and other beneficial functions up to the time of application, and how these uses and functions may have changed because of the presence of aquatic invasive species.

(b) A description of the historical control actions taken or those that are in progress.

(c) A thorough characterization of the waterbody's aquatic ecosystem's historical and current condition, including at least one year of current base line survey data quantifying the extent of the population.

(d) An assessment of the sources of watershed pollution and a strategy for their prevention and control.

(e) An assessment of the fishery, wildlife and aquatic plant community.

(f) An identification of the need for the protection and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat, endangered resources, and other local natural resource concerns.

(g) Identification of the management objectives needed to maintain or restore the beneficial uses of the aquatic ecosystem including shoreland and shallow area protection and restoration.

(h) Identification of target levels of control needed to meet the objectives.

(i) Identification and discussion of the alternative management actions considered and proposed for aquatic invasive species control including expected results.

(j) An analysis of the need for and a list of the proposed control actions that will be implemented to achieve the target level of control.

(k) A discussion of the potential adverse impacts the project may have on non-targeted species, drinking water or other beneficial waterbody uses.

(L) A strategy for effectively monitoring and preventing the re-introduction of the aquatic invasive species after the initial control and to reasonably assure that new introductions of aquatic invasive species will not populate the waterbody.

(m) A contingency strategy for effectively responding to the re-introduction of the aquatic invasive species after the initial control.

(n) Sufficient information for determining the feasibility of alternative control measures, including: costs; the relative permanence of the control; the potential for long-term control of the causes of infestation ; and the baseline data required to measure subsequent change.

(2)  Plans shall be submitted to the appropriate department regional office a minimum of 60 days prior to the application deadline for approval of recommendations and a determination of eligibility. When submitting a plan for approval, the following conditions apply:

(a) Plans shall be submitted in an electronic format along with one printed copy.

(b) The request for plan approval shall specify which plan recommendations the sponsor intends to implement with a grant application.

(c) The sponsor shall describe the process used to provide the public the opportunity to comment on the plan, provide a summary of the comments received and document the action by the sponsor in adopting the plan.

(d) Lake management plans approved for payment under ch. NR 190 do not constitute approval for project funding under this section. A sponsor may submit a plan completed under ch. NR 190 for approval under this section.

(3)  The department shall complete its review within 45 days of receipt of the plan and may approve all, part or none of the plan recommendations or request additional information. The department shall state the basis for denying the approval of plan recommendations in writing to the sponsor.

History: CR 04-060 : cr. Register April 2005 No. 592 , eff. 5-1-05; CR 08-063 : am. (1) (c), renum. (1) (d) to (m) to be (1) (e) to (n) and am. (1) (g), (L) and (m), cr. (1) (d) Register June 2009 No. 642 , eff. 7-1-09.