Wisconsin Administrative Code
Department of Natural Resources
NR 100-199 - Environmental Protection General
Chapter NR 150 - Environmental Analysis And Review Procedures
Section NR 150.20 - Environmental analysis of department actions

Universal Citation: WI Admin Code ยง NR 150.20

Current through August 26, 2024

(1) PURPOSE. This section establishes the procedures to fulfill the requirements of s. 1.11(2) (c), Stats.

(1m) MINOR ACTIONS. The following actions do not require environmental analysis under this chapter because they are minor actions:

(a) A real estate action, including property boundary establishment or modification, purchase, sale, easement, lease, designation, redesignation, or dedication.

(b) Development or construction of new department facilities that follows protocols.

(c) Natural resource management, timber management, or environmental restoration that follows protocols.

(d) The operation, repair, maintenance, removal, or in-kind replacement of existing department facilities that follows protocols.

(e) A research action that does not involve species introductions or substantive manipulation of resources, or that does involve species introductions or substantive manipulation of resources but follows protocols for doing so.

(f) A natural resource inventory or mapping action.

(g) Issuance of a grant or other financial assistance action.

(ge) Educational activities.

(gm) Model ordinances developed to assist municipalities in the creation of ordinances.

(gs) Consultation offered to third parties.

(h) Issuance of high capacity well approvals under s. 281.34(2), Stats., except for wells under s. 281.34(4), Stats.

(i) Issuance of high capacity well approvals under s. 281.34(4), Stats., that are exempted from environmental analysis requirements under s. NR 820.30(2) and (3).

(j) Reissuance, modification, revocation, and reissuance, or issuance of a routine or small-scale approval or action.

(jg) Routine variances from department rule requirements.

(jr) Denial, termination, revocation, or suspension of a grant, permit, license, approval, variance, land application site, or of any proposed activity.

(k) A routine or small-scale approval or action, or an approval or action associated with a permit.

(l) Confirmation of coverage under a general permit.

(m) Promulgation of emergency administrative rules under ch. 227, Stats.

(n) Any enforcement action.

(nm) Any emergency action that protects public health, safety, or welfare.

(o) Issuance of a minor source construction permit under ch. NR 406 or an operation permit renewal or revision under ss. 285.60 and 285.62, Stats., for air emission sources.

(p) Issuance of licenses for servicing septage and approvals of county programs to regulate the disposal of septage under s. 281.48, Stats.

(pe) Issuance of operator certifications under s. 281.17(3), Stats., and licenses or registrations for well drillers and pump installers.

(pm) Approvals of geothermal heat exchange projects.

(ps) Approvals of additives to wastewater or cooling water.

(q) Issuance of general permits established by administrative code under ch. 30, Stats.

(qm) Issuance of aquatic plant management permits under ch. NR 109.

(r) Listing and delisting of an impaired water as defined in s. NR 151.002(16m).

(s) Review and approval of municipal ordinances or approval of changes to municipal floodplain or shoreland-wetland maps.

(sc) Temporary drawdowns of dams under s. 31.02, Stats.

(sg) Reconstruction and repairs of dams under ss. 31.12, 31.18, or 31.185, Stats.

(sL) Transfer of dam ownership under s. 31.14, Stats.

(sp) Dam inspections under s. 31.19, Stats.

(st) Plan approvals for dams under s. 31.33, Stats., and approvals of emergency action plans, inspection plans, operation and maintenance plans, dam failure analysis plans, or stability analysis plans under ch. NR 333.

(sx) Review and approval of hydrologic and hydraulic studies for floodplain mapping under s. NR 116.07.

(t) Approval of construction plans and specifications under s. 281.41, Stats., for municipal and industrial pretreatment wastewater facilities, public water systems, and CAFO reviewable structures.

(u) Decisions related to evaluations of existing reviewable facilities and systems for concentrated animal feeding operations under ch. NR 243.

Note: This subsection does not include the concentrated animal feeding operations permit actions identified as integrated analysis actions pursuant to s. NR 150.20(2) (a) 3w.

(ug) Approvals of land application or nutrient management plans or modifications to the plans.

(ur) Approvals of land application sites.

(v) Issuance of natural heritage inventory permits, approvals, or licenses under ch. NR 29 except for permits issued under s. 29.604(6m), Stats.

(w) Issuance of an order or any action relating to the forest croplands or managed forest land programs under subch. I or VI of ch. 77, Stats.

(2) INTEGRATED ANALYSIS ACTIONS.

(a) The following actions do not require a separate environmental analysis process under this chapter because they are integrated analysis actions:
1. Property planning under ch. NR 44.

2. County forest planning under s. 28.11(5), Stats.

2g. Approval of a withdrawal of county forest land under s. 28.11(11), Stats.

2r. Cooperative state trail planning.

3. Areawide water quality management planning or priority watershed planning under ch. NR 121.

3c. Development of total maximum daily loads as defined in s. NR 151.002(46m).

3g. Issuance, reissuance, revocation and reissuance, or modification of a WPDES permit that authorizes a new source discharge that is subject to antidegradation review under ch. NR 207.

3n. Approval of a variance from a water quality standard under ch. 283, Stats.

3r. An approval of a municipal wastewater facilities plan under s. NR 110.08, and approvals of municipal wastewater projects receiving federal grants or state financial assistance under ss. 281.58 and 281.59, Stats.

3w. Issuance, reissuance, revocation and reissuance, or modification of an individual WPDES permit for a concentrated animal feeding operation under ch. NR 243 that is a new source.

4. Issuance of a major source construction permit under ch. NR 405 or 408 or an initial operation permit under ss. 285.60 and 285.62, Stats., for air emission sources.

6. An incidental take permit under ch. NR 27 and s. 29.604(6m), Stats.

7. A solid waste feasibility approval or a commercial PCB waste storage or treatment facility feasibility approval under ss. 289.25 and 289.53, Stats., and chs. NR 157, 182, and 512.

7e. Funding decisions made pursuant to ch. 292, Stats., and chs. NR 700 to 754.

7m. Issuance of regulatory approvals, liability clarification letters, exemptions, and technical assistance under ch. 292, Stats., and chs. NR 700 to 754.

7s. Except for facilities specified in s. 291.27, Stats., the approval of a feasibility and plan of operation report and issuance of a license for either a new or existing hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facility or class 3 modification of an existing hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facility under ch. NR 670 and s. 291.25, Stats.

8. Issuance of an individual wetland permit or general permit under s. 281.36, Stats.

9. Approval of a bulkhead line ordinance for modification of an existing shoreline under s. 30.11, Stats.

10. Issuance of findings of public interest under s. 30.11(5), Stats., for a proposed lease of the bed of a lake or lease of rights to fill in a bed of a lake or a navigable stream.

11. Issuance of an individual permit, general permit, certification, or contract under subchapter II of ch. 30, Stats.

12. Issuance of an individual permit or general permit under s. 30.19, Stats., including permits to construct or alter waterways.

13. Issuance of an individual permit or general permit to change the course of or enclose a navigable stream under s. 30.195 or 30.196, Stats.

14. Issuance of an individual permit, general permit, or contract under s. 30.20, Stats., to remove material from the bed of a navigable waterway under ch. NR 345, or for non-metallic mining and reclamation in and near navigable waters under ch. NR 340.

15. Issuance of a barge fleeting permit under ch. NR 327.

16. Issuance of a permit, order, or approval for water levels or flows, or for the regulation of a dam in navigable or nonnavigable waters under ch. 31, Stats., and ch. NR 333.

17. An approval of a drainage board action affecting navigable waters under s. 88.31, Stats., for permits under s. 88.31 or ch. 30 or 31, Stats.

18m. Issuance of a report under s. 13.097, Stats., that includes the required department findings under s. 13.097(4), Stats., and conclusions under s. 13.097(6), Stats., regarding whether legislation that proposes to convey lake bed or amend a prior conveyance of lake bed area is consistent with protecting and enhancing a public trust purpose.

19m. Review of existing or proposed uses for an existing lakebed grant, existing lease of the bed of a lake, or existing lease of rights to fill in a bed of a lake or a navigable stream to ensure the existing or proposed uses are consistent with the purposes and uses for which the grant or lease was issued.

20. Issuance of an aquatic plant management permit under s. NR 107.05 that meets the criteria under s. NR 107.04(3).

21. Approvals of aquatic plant management plans under s. NR 109.09 and surface water management plan recommendations under s. NR 193.53.

22. Promulgation of permanent administrative rules under ch. 227, Stats.

(b) The department may determine under s. NR 150.35 that an action not listed in par. (a) does not require a separate environmental analysis process under this chapter because it meets the definition of an integrated analysis action.

(3) PRIOR COMPLIANCE ACTIONS.

(a) The following actions do not require additional environmental analysis under this chapter because one or more environmental analysis documents exist for prior actions that are similar to the proposed action in kind, scale, and environmental setting:
1. Department facility development planned under ch. NR 44.

2. Natural resource management, timber management, or environmental restoration planned under ch. NR 44.

3. A research action that involves species introductions or substantive manipulation of resources that was planned under ch. NR 44.

6. Approval of an extension of a wastewater collection system and other plan approvals under s. 281.41, Stats., that are covered under an area wide water quality management plan under s. 283.83, Stats., and ch. NR 121.

7. Issuance, reissuance, revocation and reissuance, or modification of an individual WPDES permit under s. 283.31, Stats., for a facility that is covered under an area wide water quality management plan under s. 283.83, Stats., and ch. NR 121.

8. Issuance or reissuance of an individual or general storm water permit under s. 283.33, Stats., and ch. NR 216.

9. Reissuance or modification of any general permit.

10. The approval of a feasibility and plan of operation report and issuance of a license for a class 1 or class 2 modification of an existing hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facility under s. 291.25, Stats., and ch. NR 670.

(b) The department may determine under s. NR 150.35 that there is prior compliance for a specific action not listed in par. (a).

(4) EIS ACTIONS AND PROJECTS.

(a) EIS actions. The department shall comply with the EIS procedures in s. NR 150.30 for all actions not included under sub. (1m), (2), or (3).

(b) EIS projects. The department may follow the EIS procedures in s. NR 150.30 for projects of such magnitude and complexity that one or more of the following apply:
1. The project involves multiple department actions.

2. The project may be in conflict with local, state or federal environmental policies.

3. The project may set precedent for reducing or limiting environmental protection.

4. The project may result in deleterious effects over large geographic areas.

5. The project may result in long-term deleterious effects that are prohibitively difficult or expensive to reverse.

6. The project may result in deleterious effects on especially important, critical, or sensitive environmental resources.

7. The project involves broad public controversy.

8. The project may result in substantial risk to human life, health, or safety.

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