Less Than a Week to Weigh in On Surface Water Grant Changes
Public Comment Period on NR193 Ends Wed, July 24, 2019
By Wisconsin Lakes staff
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources continues to accept public written comments on its revision of the administrative rules governing the surface water grant program. Currently, the rules that let the DNR hand out the various lake, river, and AIS grants are housed in separate sections, and this rule revision brings them all together under one new section, NR193.
According to the DNR, “the consolidated code will clarify policies, improve customer service and satisfaction, improve administrative consistency and efficiency and create better and more cost-effective environmental outcomes that serve local needs and advance department management objectives for state surface waters.” You can get more information on the rules package, including how to submit comments, on the department’s NR193 page. You can also now view an archived, one hour webinar explaining the rule revision.
Wisconsin Lakes continues to review the rules package and has been involved in the revision in some way from its inception several years ago. With limited funds, especially in the realm of aquatic invasive species work, no perfect solution is possible. While we will be submitting our own comments on the rule, we are generally supportive of the overall package and believe it will lead to a better, more efficient granting process.
Once it passes necessary approvals from the Natural Resources Board and Legislature, the Department believes it will be in effect beginning next summer. Surface water grants in the 2019-20 cycle will follow the current system and schedule.