Environmental Week in Preview – Week of August 12, 2013
August 13, 2013: The DNR will hold a public hearing on an air pollution control construction permit application submitted by Expera Speciality Solution (previously known as Wausau Papers LLC). The permit applications includes plans and specifications for construction and operation of the replacement of up to five existing coal fired boilers with up to three natural gas boilers.
August 13-14, 2013: The Natural Resources Board meeting agenda includes a request to adopt proposed rules revisions to general pretreatment requirements which regulates industrial wastewater discharges to public owned treatment plants and a request for hearing authorization for a public hearing on proposed rules relating to exemptions for nonferrous mining as required by section 103 of 2013 Wis. Act 1.
The Board will also hear an informational presentation regarding the current state authorities for protecting groundwater quality and quantity. The presentation is described as summarizing recent department data on groundwater quality and quantity, how groundwater quality and quantity regulations apply to animal agriculture, current initiatives, including Central Sands strategic water quantity analysis, Little Plover River groundwater modeling project, animal waste tool kit and nitrate demonstration project.
August 13, 16, 27, 28 and 29, 2013: The DNR will hold public hearings on proposed revisions to ch. NR 114 subchapter I, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to the certification of requirements of wastewater treatment system and plant operators.
August 14, 15 and 22, 2013: The DNR will hold public hearings on revisions to ch. NR 115, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to the shoreland zoning standards under Wisconsin’s Shoreland Protection Program. The revisions would modify certain sections of the code including the impervious surface standards, the nonconforming structure standard, vegetative management standards and administrative reporting requirements. One major proposed change is that the revisions would be that the impervious surface standard to only riparian lots or non-riparian lots that are entirely within 300 feet of the ordinary high mark and allows for property owners to exceed the maximum impervious standards if the property owner can show that the runoff from the impervious surface standards if the property owner can show that the runoff from the impervious surfaces is not draining toward a lake or river or is being treated by an engineered system. The proposed rule would also allow for counties to adopt an ordinance that allows a higher percentage of impervious surfaces for areas of already highly developed shorelines. Properties in the areas of highly developed shorelines would be able to expand the imperious surfaces on their lots, up to 30% for residential and 40% for commercial, industrial or business land uses, without a shoreland zoning permit. The proposed rule would allow property owners with nonconforming structures to relocate or reconstruct the structure if the property owner completes a shoreland mitigation project and the property owners are allowed unlimited maintenance and repair and the scope of the repair is defined by the county ordinance.
August 15, 2013: The DNR will hold a public informational hearing on the proposed bulk sampling activity and the preapplication notice to mine at Gogebic Taconite potential mining project near Mellen, Wisconsin. For bulk sampling, the company has proposed to remove a total of 4,000 tons of rock. The rock would be removed from four or five sites using standard excavating equipment and could also involve some blasting activity. The rock would be loaded on to haul trucks and transported off-site for testing and analysis.
What to look for in the coming weeks:
August 19th, 2013: Comments are due on the DNR’s draft guidance on the Sanitary Sewer Overflows Rule Implmentation Guidance Document.
