SB 762 creates a state grant program to fund testing and mapping of privately owned wells to assess groundwater quality and contamination. It provides up to $10,000 per grant to counties, cities, villages, or towns for well testing and geologic studies, and up to $10,000 to health departments for public education on well testing. The bill requires grant recipients to submit anonymized testing results to the Department of Natural Resources and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, while directing municipalities to inform residents about well testing importance. The program is funded with $2.5 million annually from the environmental fund, with rule-making authority granted to the Department of Natural Resources.
AB 703 allocates $200,000 from the environmental fund to the Town of Norway in Racine County for water pollution cleanup projects. The bill creates a new funding category (20.370 (6) (fx)) specifically for this grant, requiring the Department of Natural Resources to award it by June 30, 2026. This direct appropriation affects Norway's local water management efforts, using funds collected for nonpoint source pollution abatement. The bill repeals the prior funding mechanism for this purpose on July 1, 2027.
SB 776 repeals Wisconsin's dry cleaner environmental response program and creates the "Revitalize Wisconsin" program to support cleanup of contaminated properties. The new program provides $3 million biennially from the environmental fund to cover costs for eligible property owners (including "innocent landowners" who didn't cause pollution) and developers on brownfield sites - abandoned properties affected by environmental contamination. It allows grants, direct services, or reimbursements for cleanup activities like waste removal and sampling, with some sites prioritized for funding. The bill also adjusts related environmental funding rules and repeals outdated provisions.
SB 685 allocates specific annual funds for conservation programs under Wisconsin's Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship 2000 program and major land acquisitions initiative. The bill creates four new funding streams: $5 million for department property development, $4 million for nonprofit land acquisition grants, $1 million for habitat restoration grants, and $2 million for local conservation assistance. These funds will be drawn from forestry activity revenues to support land conservation, habitat restoration, and local park development. The bill also specifies debt limits for the stewardship program, including a $1.046 billion cap for the program's funding.
SB 693 creates a specific $200,000 grant from the environmental fund for the Town of Norway in Racine County to improve water quality. The bill appropriates this funding for water abatement projects and requires the Department of Natural Resources to award the grant by June 30, 2026. This is a targeted fiscal measure with no broader policy changes, directly benefiting Norway's local water management efforts. The existing statutory section for this grant is repealed effective July 1, 2027.
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.
AB 808 creates a "wetland assured delineation program" that allows certified professionals to perform wetland boundary identification work with the same legal effect as government-verified reports. It directly affects environmental consultants and wetland delineators who meet specific qualifications (e.g., associate degree with 8+ years experience or bachelor’s with 5+ years) and apply for certification through the Department of Natural Resources. Key provisions include requiring annual applications, mandating reports by March 15 (with limited 12-month extensions), and allowing certified delineators’ work to bypass department confirmation under certain conditions. The program also establishes department oversight through performance reviews and audits to ensure compliance with wetland delineation standards.
AB 780 replaces Wisconsin's dry cleaner environmental response program with the "Revitalize Wisconsin program," which provides $3 million annually to help clean up contaminated properties. The program directly assists property owners (called "innocent landowners") who didn't cause pollution at sites known as "brownfields" (abandoned or underused properties with environmental risks). It funds cleanup costs, waste removal, and sampling to address health and environmental threats, with funds drawn from the environmental fund. The bill also repeals outdated provisions and creates new rules for administering these cleanup grants.
SB 709 prohibits the use of neonicotinoid pesticides on outdoor ornamental plants, trees, or turf grown for noncommercial purposes (like home gardens or lawns) starting January 1, 2026. It allows exceptions for tree injections, applications by certified pesticide applicators, or uses directly tied to agricultural commodity production. This bill directly affects homeowners, landscapers, and gardeners who currently use these pesticides for non-farm purposes. The law creates a clear regulatory change in pesticide use without altering agricultural practices for commercial farming.
AB 772 requires companies that sell packaged products (called "producers") to pay fees to fund recycling programs. It creates a "producer responsibility program" where businesses must cover costs for reducing packaging waste and ensuring packaging is recyclable or made with post-consumer recycled materials. The bill defines key terms like "recyclable" (must sort easily and have market demand) and "post-consumer recycled material" (recovered from consumer waste, excluding advanced recycling methods). This directly affects manufacturers, brands, importers, and retailers selling packaged goods in the state, with fees collected by a nonprofit organization to support statewide recycling infrastructure.
