SB 871 creates a $2.5 million grant program to help Wisconsin farmers adopt sustainable practices that reduce fossil fuel use and store carbon. Eligible activities include installing renewable energy systems, planting trees/vegetation to capture carbon, and improving soil health through cover cropping or no-till farming. The program prioritizes projects offering the greatest carbon reduction per dollar, with special focus on small farms and diverse agricultural regions across the state. Grant recipients must allow project monitoring and report on environmental impacts, with funds requiring matching non-state support for maximum climate benefit.
SB 867 creates a new grant program to help cities, towns, nonprofits, and tribal governments plant and maintain trees in urban areas to combat "urban heat islands" - places significantly warmer than surrounding natural areas. The bill provides grants covering up to $100,000 per project for tree planting, maintenance, and replacement to reduce heat effects, with $500,000 appropriated for fiscal year 2025-26. It also allows separate grants for replacing storm-damaged trees in declared emergency areas, exempting these recipients from cost-sharing requirements. The program directly benefits communities facing extreme heat, particularly in densely built neighborhoods.
SB 824 requires the state Department of Transportation to include specific goals in the long-range statewide transportation plan, affecting statewide transportation planning and implementation. The bill mandates a vision for five key areas: low-carbon public transit, transportation electrification, cost-effective charging infrastructure, equitable clean transportation incentives, and solutions for underserved rural, low-income, and minority communities. It also requires the department to submit a report within six months detailing current efforts, gaps, and future strategies for meeting these requirements. These provisions directly shape how transportation funding and projects are prioritized across the state.
AB 869 increases the required funding for Wisconsin's Focus on Energy program from 1.2% to 2.4% of energy utilities' annual retail sales revenue. It specifically adds residential energy storage systems (like home battery systems) to the list of eligible programs under the "energy efficiency program" definition. This means utilities must now dedicate more funding toward programs that help residential customers adopt energy storage, alongside traditional efficiency measures. The bill directly affects energy utilities (requiring higher spending) and residential customers (expanding access to storage incentives).
SB 827 creates a framework allowing counties, cities, villages, and towns to adopt stricter energy efficiency standards for buildings than the state's current baseline code. It establishes a state working group to develop a "stretch energy code" by December 2026, with separate residential and commercial requirements exceeding existing minimums. Local governments can then choose to adopt these stricter standards through local ordinances. The bill does not set specific energy requirements but enables future adoption of higher-efficiency building standards.
AB 872 creates a new Energy Innovation Grant Program to fund projects advancing clean energy technologies. It allocates $10 million annually for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years, directly supporting the Office of Energy Innovation within the Public Service Commission. The program allows the agency to distribute grants for innovative energy solutions, with no specific project types or recipient criteria detailed in the bill. This is a funding measure with no voting record yet, as the bill was introduced on January 16, 2026.
SB 870 requires Wisconsin energy utilities to spend at least 25% of their annual energy efficiency funds on programs for low-income households, including energy efficiency upgrades and renewable energy measures. The bill defines "low-income household" per state statute and mandates that these programs become a priority when setting energy efficiency goals. It also establishes minimum requirements for these programs and ensures utilities allocate funds annually toward reducing energy burdens for qualifying households. The law directly affects low-income residents and energy utilities across Wisconsin.
AB 722 imposes annual fees on large energy customers in Wisconsin based on their peak electricity demand, starting at $2 million for those using 100-250 megawatts and increasing by $1 million for each additional 250-megawatt increment. Fifty percent of these fees will fund the Green Innovation Fund, managed by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The bill also requires data centers to report annual water usage to local governments, certify adherence to sustainable building standards (like LEED or BREEAM) within three years of operation, and pay workers the prevailing wage rate for large-scale construction projects exceeding $250 million in cost. These provisions directly affect large energy users, data center operators, and local governments managing water reporting.
AB 713 requires battery producers (like manufacturers or brands selling batteries) to fund and manage collection and recycling programs starting in 2027. It bans disposal of covered batteries (portable/medium-sized batteries excluding medical devices, lead-acid, or alkaline types) in landfills after January 1, 2028, mandating they be returned through designated collection sites instead. Producers must also mark batteries with their identity by 2027 and indicate battery chemistry for proper recycling by 2029. This law directly affects battery sellers and manufacturers, shifting responsibility for recycling programs from consumers or local governments to the producers themselves.
SB 729 imposes annual fees on large energy customers (primarily large data centers) based on their peak electricity demand: $2 million for 100-250 MW, $3 million for 250-500 MW, and $1 million more for each additional 250 MW. Fifty percent of these fees fund the Green Innovation Fund via the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The bill also requires data centers to report actual water usage annually and certify compliance with sustainable building standards (like LEED or BREEAM) within three years of operation. It defines "large-scale data centers" as projects costing $250 million+ in construction or equipment over 60 months.
