Section 47.913. Eligibility.

 

(1)   Eligible applicants.

(a) Only counties may apply for participation in the state cost shared suppression program.

(b) An applicant shall designate a county coordinator who shall administer requests for treatment from and for all residents of the county. Training shall be provided by the department. A county coordinator, or his or her designee, shall complete all of the following tasks:

1. Respond to requests for assistance from residents of the county.

2. Determine if areas requested for treatment within a county are eligible for treatment.

3. Identify areas for treatment and map treatment blocks.

4. Complete and file applications with the department under this subchapter.

5. Collect local cost share moneys for treatments and distribute federal reimbursement.

6. Notify county residents of the availability of the suppression program and how to apply for treatment. Notification may be accomplished by a press release, a public meeting or other cost-effective means of alerting the public.

7. Notify residents within eligible treatment blocks and surrounding areas determined by the applicant by publication of a class one legal notice under ch. 985 , Stats. , in a local newspaper at least 10 days before a deadline, a press release and a public meeting. The county coordinator, or his or her designee, shall conduct the public meeting.

8. Accommodate residents within the proposed spray block who object to treatment of their property by revising or dropping treatment blocks. If other resident's properties are dropped from a suppression block due to accommodating an objector, the county coordinator shall notify affected residents.

9. Assist as a ground observer or provide observers as required by the department during the aerial treatment or both. All observers shall attend observer training provided by the department.

10. Perform a post treatment evaluation of defoliation within blocks identified by the department. The department shall provide the procedure for evaluation.

11. Develop and submit requests for reimbursement for eligible administrative costs.

12. Maintain records and file with the department materials requested for an annual report.

(2)   Eligible treatment blocks. To be eligible for cost sharing under this subchapter, a proposed treatment block shall comply with the following criteria:

(a) Be at least 20 contiguous acres in a compact and regular shape.

(b) Have a canopy coverage of any of the following:

1. 25% or more on residential or high use recreational land.

2. 50% or more on rural land.

(c) 50% or more of the canopy must be preferred hosts.

(d) Have the following minimum average number of egg masses per acre as determined by surveys done according to directions in the application materials:

1. 500 egg masses per acre on residential or high use recreational land.

2. 1000 egg masses per acre on rural land.

Emerg. cr. eff. 11-10-00; CR 00-177 : cr. Register July 2001, No. 547 eff. 8-1-01; CR 04-137 : am. (1), (2) (a), (b) 1. and (d) 1. Register October 2005 No. 598 , eff. 11-1-05.