Section 51.964. Program criteria, application ranking, and funding availability.

 

(1)   Program criteria and application ranking. The department shall consider the following broad criteria as well as specific indicators referenced in the memorandum of agreement in s. NR 51.963 when evaluating and ranking applications submitted under this subchapter.

(a) All the purposes identified in s. 28.11 (1) , Stats.

(b) Whether the project has regional or statewide significance including recreational trail connectivity, watershed protection, the presence of regionally important wildlife or communities as identified in the natural heritage database or a conservation opportunity area as identified in the wildlife action plan.

(c) Degree to which the site is threatened by development or conversion to other land use.

(d) Whether the project is within the county forest acquisition boundary identified in the county forest comprehensive land use plan.

(e) Whether the project is identified as an important acquisition within an existing plan or database including the land legacy report, statewide forestry plan, forest legacy plan, county outdoor recreation plan, county forest comprehensive land use plan, natural heritage inventory database, or other similar plans.

(2)   Funding availability. The department shall provide notice of the annual maximum funding allotment from s. 23.0917 (3) , Stats., to counties through the processes defined in the memorandum of agreement identified in s. NR 51.963 . Any portion of each year's funding allotment not awarded by the following February 28 shall revert to the department for land acquisition under s. 23.0917 (3) , Stats.

CR 10-127 : cr. Register February 2012 No. 674 , eff. 3-1-12.