(1) ELIGIBLE COSTS.
Costs eligible for funding under this chapter are those reasonable and
necessary project costs which the department determines are consistent with the
approved project. Eligible costs shall be incurred during the project period
except costs identified in pars. (a) 3. and (b) 4. Applicants may apply for a
local assistance grant, an acquisition and development grant or both. Local
assistance grants provide funding for administrative costs; acquisition and
development grants provide funding for purchase of land or easements and
construction or other development costs. Eligible costs for the 2 grant types
are as follows:
(a) Eligible costs for local
assistance grants may include, but are not limited to:
1. Labor costs, including force account
labor, required for carrying out activities identified in the grant agreement.
Costs shall be based on grant recipient rates for the position including
salary, fringe benefits and other items determined to be appropriate by the
department.
2. Direct costs for
laboratory analysis, surveys, publications, mailings, professional service
contracts, development activities and similar items.
3. Engineering or planning fees necessary to
complete the project may be eligible, including costs incurred on or after
October 29, 1999.
4. The cost of
necessary materials, supplies and equipment used exclusively for
project-related purposes over its useful life or the cost of the portion of
supplies or equipment used for the project.
5. The costs of leased equipment and
facilities used for project related purposes for the length of the project. The
cost of the use of the equipment owned by the grant recipient may not exceed
the county highway rates established annually by the Wisconsin department of
transportation.
Note: The county highway rates for equipment are formulated
under s.
84.07,
Stats., and can be found in chapter 5 of the State Highway Maintenance Manual
published by the Wisconsin department of transportation, 4802 Sheboygan Avenue,
Madison, WI 53705.
(b) Eligible costs for acquisition and
development grants may include, but are not limited to:
1. Acquisition and removal costs.
2. Costs to build facilities and structures
for the collection, detention, retention, storage and transmission of
stormwater and groundwater for flood control and riparian restoration
projects.
3. Structural
floodproofing and elevation costs.
4. Engineering or planning fees to complete
the project may be eligible, including previously incurred costs.
5. Relocation costs required in the property
acquisition transaction.
6.
Acquisition costs to purchase conservation and flowage easements, subject to
the following conditions:
a. Property
encumbered by an easement may not be converted to uses inconsistent with the
easement. All structural development, including residential, industrial or
commercial development, is prohibited on those areas of easement property that
are encumbered by a municipal flood control grant. Additional restrictions or
conditions may be imposed by the easement or grant contract.
b. Agricultural, forestry, recreation and
related open space uses may be permitted on property encumbered by an easement
as long as those activities are compatible with the purposes of the municipal
flood control program and the project.
c. Any agricultural use within the area
encumbered by an easement shall be carried out in accordance with the
conditions, standards and specifications of a soil and water conservation plan
approved by the natural resources conservation service office located in each
county.
d. Harvesting of timber
within the area encumbered by an easement shall be carried out in accordance
with the conditions of a forest management plan approved by the
department.
e. Vegetative buffers
shall be established and maintained along lakes, ponds, wetlands, marshes,
rivers, streams and ditches. Department best management practices shall be
employed to the greatest extent possible for the project. Whenever possible,
the area of the vegetative buffer shall extend at least 75 feet from each edge
of the surface water or wetland. There may be no activity that adversely
affects the natural flow of surface or underground waters within the area of
the easement.
f. If a grant
application is submitted for a property as part of an acquisition of
conservation and flowage easements and that property is subsequently withdrawn
from consideration, another property may be substituted if inclusion of that
property would result in the same or higher ranking as the application received
with the original property.
