Environmental Week in Preview – Week of August 19th, 2013
August 19th, 2013: Comments are due on the DNR’s draft guidance on the Sanitary Sewer Overflows Rule Implementation Guidance Document.
August 20th, 2013: The DNR will hold a public meeting on Phase II of the Lincoln Park Project and Milwaukee River Channels Sediment projects. The EPA’s consultants for this project have completed the sediment sampling and habitat evaluation work, and are in the process of drafting the feasibility study for the Phase II project. The draft feasibility study will document the information, technologies and processes available to lead the DNR to a recommended alternative for cleaning up the Phase II area.
August 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 22, 2013: The DNR Air Management Study Group will be meeting to discuss the 2014-2015 budget for the air program, alternative enforcement options, major source PSD/NSR guidance and air permit streamlining issues.
