Section 549.08. Grant application and departmental review.

 

(1)   Application method. Applicants shall submit applications on forms provided by the department and shall provide the information specified in subs. (4) to (7) .

(2)   Deadlines to submit eligible applications.

(a) Each application for financial assistance under this chapter shall indicate that an effective recycling program has implemented an efficiency. In addition, the following limitations shall apply:

1. During the first grant period, applications shall be postmarked no later than April 15, 2003, to be eligible for a grant award in calendar year 2003 and all applications submitted shall claim that an efficiency was implemented before March 31, 2003.

2. During the second grant period, applications shall be postmarked no later than October 30, 2003, to be eligible for a grant award in calendar year 2004 and all applications submitted shall claim that an efficiency was implemented or a signed agreement for consolidation or cooperative services was approved by the participating responsible units during the period between April 1, 2003, and October 30, 2003, and will be in place no later than January 1, 2004.

3. During the third grant period, applications shall be submitted by October 30, 2004, to be eligible for a grant award in calendar year 2005. In all subsequent grant periods, applications shall be submitted no later than October 30th before the grant year, and all applications submitted shall claim that an efficiency was implemented during the period between October 31 of the previous year and October 30 of the year in which the application is made, and was in place before April 30 of the year in which the application is made.

(3)   Requirements for grant awards.

(a) Responsible units claiming the following, as a measure of recycling efficiency, may do so only for the first grants awarded in calendar year 2003:

1. A consolidation pursuant to sub. (4) (a) 1. or achieving county responsible unit status pursuant to sub. (4) (a) 3. that was implemented before March 31, 2003. Responsible units claiming consolidations or cooperative agreements as a measure of recycling efficiency under this chapter after the first grant period may do so only if the consolidation or cooperative agreement was entered after April 1, 2003.

(b) An efficiency claimed under sub. (4) (b) for an effective recycling program shall be demonstrated by either of the following:

1. The probability of a reduction in eligible costs for the year or an increase in recycling materials sales revenues. A reduction in eligible costs means an expected reduction in eligible costs or increase in revenues compared to the expenses or revenues of the previous year, and may occur on either a program-wide basis, or in one or more component areas of the responsible unit's recycling program. Component areas may include comprehensive program planning, collection, sorting, processing, marketing, or education. A reduction in eligible costs cannot be as a result of additional financial assistance received from the state.

2. An increase in the quality or scope of the program for the year in which the responsible unit attributes the efficiency measures. An increase in the quality or scope of the program means an increase in the quality or scope of the program from the previous year, and may occur on either a program-wide basis, or in one or more areas of the responsible unit's recycling program. Component areas may include comprehensive program planning, collection, sorting, processing, marketing, or collection. Claims of efficiency shall be substantial and not marginal or lacking a sound basis.

(c) An increase in efficiency in a recycling activity category not previously the subject of an effort by the responsible unit shall qualify as an increase in efficiency only if the increase does not duplicate an effort previously undertaken under this chapter.

(d) At least 25% of the responsible units visited each year as part of the department's recycling program review under s. 287.23 (2) (b) , Stats., will include responsible units receiving grants under this chapter.

(4)   Claim of recycling efficiency. Applications pursuant to this section shall indicate at least one of the recycling program efficiencies in par. (a) or (b) have been achieved:

(a) Operational status or size. The responsible unit meets one or more of the following criteria:

1. The responsible unit was formed by the consolidation of 2 or more prior responsible units before March 31, 2003.

2. Two or more responsible units have consolidated into a single responsible unit on or after April 1, 2003.

3. The responsible unit is a county. A county shall be eligible for a grant under this chapter not more than once under this criterion.

(b) Written cooperative agreements.

1. The responsible unit has entered into a written cooperative agreement with at least one other responsible unit for direct recycling services by or for the responsible unit, or for private vendor services to be shared jointly by the participating responsible units to the agreement. The cooperative agreement shall address at least one of the following elements:

a. Comprehensive program planning.

b. Collection and transportation of recyclables.

c. Sorting recyclables at a materials recovery facility.

d. Educational efforts about waste reduction, reuse and recycling.

2. When a responsible unit enters a cooperative recycling agreement pursuant to this paragraph for joint services or private vendor services, it shall be entered into by the applicant with the expectation either of a reduction in program costs or that the cooperative agreement will provide an increase in the scope or quality of recycling services. Cooperative agreements shall include an effective date, a brief description of the responsibilities of all parties and a statement of expectations of how costs will be reduced, funds will be saved or the scope or quality of the responsible unit's recycling program will be improved.

3. All cooperative agreements shall be made by an agent of the responsible unit who has authorization under s. 66.0301 , Stats., from the responsible unit's local governing body to enter the responsible unit into a cooperative agreement.

(5)   Required proof of cooperative agreement. If an application for a recycling efficiency incentive grant under this chapter claims recycling efficiency as a result of a written cooperative agreement pursuant to sub. (4) (b) , the application shall document this by showing that the responsible unit participating in the cooperative agreement has authorized the responsible unit to participate in the cooperative agreement. County responsible units shall provide proof of authorization from the county's governing body, but need not provide proof of authorization from each municipality within the jurisdiction of the county.

(6)   Required authorizing resolution . All applicants for recycling efficiency incentive grants shall submit to the department an authorizing resolution from their respective body of elected officials who have the power to authorize the resolution, that designates a representative of the responsible unit as the person authorized to submit an application for financial assistance under this chapter and handle all grant actions. Prior resolutions on file with the department for other recycling grant programs in prior years do not satisfy this requirement. No application may be considered complete until the resolution is submitted.

(7)   Required signature of responsible party. All applications for financial assistance under this chapter shall be signed by the person designated in the authorizing resolution.

(8)   Complete applications required. The department shall review all applications submitted by eligible responsible units by the deadlines listed in sub. (2) for completeness and compliance with the requirements of this section. For an application to be deemed complete by the department, all portions shall be correctly and fully answered or provided.

History: CR 02-060 : cr. Register March 2003 No. 567 , eff. 4-1-03.

Note

Recycling efficiency incentive grant application forms may be obtained as follows: Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Mailing Address: Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Department of Natural Resources Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Community Financial Assistance Bureau Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 P. O. Box 7921 Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 101 S. Webster Street Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7921 Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Phone: Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 608-266-7555 Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Activities that increase a responsible unit's recycling program quality or scope may include the following: Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 1. Changing collection methods from consumer drop-off sites to curbside pick-up where recyclable items are collected by either another responsible unit or by a private vendor contracted jointly with another responsible unit. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 2. Coordinated program delivery through joint comprehensive planning or educational efforts by a single planning unit for 2 or more responsible units. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 3. Collection of a greater amount or type of plastic containers by 2 or more responsible units made possible through sorting provided by a responsible unit or by vendors jointly contracted by the responsible units. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 4. Provision of new services by responsible units or joint vendor contracting. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 5. Organizing coordinated program delivery in a specific geographic area with a reduction in eligible costs. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Efficiencies considered to be substantial may increase recycling collection or participation rates, environmental benefits, responsible unit revenues, or reduce environmental degradation and program operating costs. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Examples of increases in the quality or scope of the program that are marginal or without a sound basis may include: Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 1. Sharing equipment on a free or at-cost basis between responsible units without a resulting increase in the collection of recyclables in at least one of the responsible units. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 2. An educational campaign that does not reach the majority of the residents of the responsible units and is conducted without a reasonable expectation of increasing awareness of recycling issues and citizen participation in the recycling programs. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Section 287.09 , Stats., provides for the formal consolidation of responsible units by agreements under s. 66.0301 , Stats. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 The department will examine ways to allow eligibility for operational and managerial efficiencies—efforts made by a single responsible unit to improve internal efficiency. If the department decides to expand eligibility, it will amend this rule at a later date to allow internal efficiencies by a single responsible unit. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1