Wis. Stat. § 289.33 — WI Code / Chapter 289 / Section 289.33
Solid and hazardous waste facilities; negotiation and arbitration.
Status: in_force

(1) Legislative findings.

(a) The legislature finds that the creation of solid and hazardous waste is an unavoidable result of the needs and demands of a modern society.

(b) The legislature further finds that solid and hazardous waste is generated throughout the state as a by-product of the materials used and consumed by every individual, business, enterprise and governmental unit in the state.

(c) The legislature further finds that the proper management of solid and hazardous waste is necessary to prevent adverse effects on the environment and to protect public health and safety.

(d) The legislature further finds that the availability of suitable facilities for solid waste disposal and the treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste is necessary to preserve the economic strength of this state and to fulfill the diverse needs of its citizens.

(e) The legislature further finds that whenever a site is proposed for the solid waste disposal or the treatment, storage or disposal of hazardous waste, the nearby residents and the affected municipalities may have a variety of legitimate concerns about the location, design, construction, operation, closing and long-term care of facilities to be located at the site, and that these facilities must be established with consideration for the concerns of nearby residents and the affected municipalities.

(f) The legislature further finds that local authorities have the responsibility for promoting public health, safety, convenience and general welfare, encouraging planned and orderly land use development, recognizing the needs of industry and business, including solid waste disposal and the treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste and that the reasonable decisions of local authorities should be considered in the siting of solid waste disposal facilities and hazardous waste facilities.

(g) The legislature further finds that the procedures for the siting of new or expanded solid waste disposal facilities and hazardous waste facilities under s. 144.44 , 1979 stats., and s. 144.64 , 1979 stats., are not adequate to resolve many of the conflicts which arise during the process of establishing such facilities.

(2) Legislative intent. It is the intent of the legislature to create and maintain an effective and comprehensive policy of negotiation and arbitration between the applicant for a license to establish either a solid waste disposal facility or a hazardous waste treatment, storage or disposal facility and a committee representing the affected municipalities to assure that:

(a) Arbitrary or discriminatory policies and actions of local governments which obstruct the establishment of solid waste disposal facilities and hazardous waste facilities can be set aside.

(b) The legitimate concerns of nearby residents and affected municipalities can be expressed in a public forum, negotiated and, if need be, arbitrated with the applicant in a fair manner and reduced to a written document that is legally binding.

(c) An adequate mechanism exists under state law to assure the establishment of environmentally sound and economically viable solid waste disposal facilities and hazardous waste facilities.

(3) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Applicant” means a person applying for a license for or the owner or operator of a facility.

(b) “Board” means the waste facility siting board.

(c) “Facility” means a solid waste disposal facility or a hazardous waste facility.

(d) “Local approval” includes any requirement for a permit, license, authorization, approval, variance or exception or any restriction, condition of approval or other restriction, regulation, requirement or prohibition imposed by a charter ordinance, general ordinance, zoning ordinance, resolution or regulation by a town, city, village, county or special purpose district, including without limitation because of enumeration any ordinance, resolution or regulation adopted under s. 91.73 , 2007 stats., s. 59.03 (2) , 59.11 (5) , 59.42 (1) , 59.48 , 59.51 (1) and (2) , 59.52 (2) , (5) , (6) , (7) , (8) , (9) , (11) , (12) , (13) , (15) , (16) , (17) , (18) , (19) , (20) , (21) , (22) , (23) , (24) , (25) , (26) and (27) , 59.53 (1) , (2) , (3) , (4) , (5) , (7) , (8) , (9) , (11) , (12) , (13) , (14) , (15) , (19) , (20) and (23) , 59.535 (2) , (3) and (4) , 59.54 (1) , (2) , (3) , (4) , (4m) , (5) , (6) , (7) , (8) , (10) , (11) , (12) , (16) , (17) , (18) , (19) , (20) , (21) , (22) , (23) , (24) , (25) and (26) , 59.55 (3) , (4) , (5) and (6) , 59.56 (1) , (2) , (4) , (5) , (6) , (7) , (9) , (10) , (11) , (12) , (12m) , (13) and (16) , 59.57 (1) , 59.58 (1) and (5) , 59.62 , 59.69 , 59.692 , 59.693 , 59.696 , 59.697 , 59.698 , 59.70 (1) , (2) , (3) , (5) , (7) , (8) , (9) , (10) , (11) , (21) , (22) and (23) , 59.79 (1) , (2) , (3) , (5) , (7) , (8) , and (10) , 59.792 (2) and (3) , 59.80 , 59.82 , 60.10 , 60.22 , 60.23 , 60.54 , 60.77 , 61.34 , 61.35 , 61.351 , 61.353 , 61.354 , 62.11 , 62.23 , 62.231 , 62.233 , 62.234 , 66.0101 , 66.0415 , 87.30 , 196.58 , 200.11 (8) , 236.45 , 281.43 or 349.16 , subch. VIII of ch. 60 , or subch. III of ch. 91 .

(e) “Local committee” means the committee appointed under sub. (7) .

(f) “Participating municipality” means an affected municipality which adopts a siting resolution and appoints members to the local committee.

(fm) “Preexisting local approval” means a local approval in effect at least 15 months prior to the submission to the department of either a feasibility report under s. 289.23 or an initial site report, whichever occurs first.

(g) “Siting resolution” means the resolution adopted by an affected municipality under sub. (6) (a) .

(4) Rules. The board may promulgate rules necessary for the implementation of this section.

(5) Applicability of local approvals.

(a) The establishment of facilities is a matter of statewide concern.

(b) An existing facility is not subject to any local approval except those local approvals made applicable to the facility under pars. (c) to (g) .

(c) Except as provided under par. (d) , a new or expanded facility is subject to preexisting local approvals.

(d) A new or expanded facility is not subject to any preexisting local approvals which are specified as inapplicable in a negotiation agreement approved under sub. (9) or an arbitration award issued under sub. (10) .

(e) Except as provided under par. (f) , a new or expanded facility is not subject to any local approvals which are not preexisting local approvals.

(f) A new or expanded facility is subject to local approvals which are not preexisting local approvals if they are specified as applicable in a negotiation agreement approved under sub. (9) .

(g) This subsection applies to a new or expanded facility owned or operated by a county in the same manner it applies to all other new or expanded facilities.

(6) Siting resolution.

(a) Municipal participation. An affected municipality may participate in the negotiation and arbitration process under this section if the governing body adopts a siting resolution and appoints members to the local committee within 60 days after the municipality receives the written request from the applicant under s. 289.22 (1m) and if the municipality sends a copy of that resolution and the names of those members to the board within 7 days after the municipality adopts the siting resolution and appoints members to the local committee. The siting resolution shall state the affected municipality’s intent to negotiate and, if necessary, arbitrate with the applicant concerning the proposed facility. An affected municipality which does not adopt a siting resolution within 60 days after receipt of notice from the applicant may not appoint members to the local committee.

(b) Notification of participation. Within 5 days after the board receives copies of resolutions and names of members appointed to the local committee from all affected municipalities or within 72 days after all affected municipalities receive the written request under s. 289.22 (1m) , the board shall submit a notification of participation by certified mail to the applicant and each participating municipality identifying the participating municipalities and the members appointed to the local committee and informing the applicant and participating municipalities that negotiations may commence or, if no affected municipality takes the actions required to participate in the negotiation and arbitration process under par. (a) , the board shall notify the applicant of this fact by certified mail within that 72-day period.

(c) Revised notification of participation. If the board issues a notice under par. (b) and subsequently it is necessary for the applicant to submit a written request under s. 289.22 (1m) to an additional affected municipality because of an error or changes in plans, the board may issue an order delaying negotiations until that affected municipality has an opportunity to participate in the negotiation and arbitration process by taking action under par. (a) . Within 5 days after the board receives a copy of the resolution and the names of members appointed to the local committee by that affected municipality or within 72 days after that affected municipality receives the written request from the applicant under s. 289.22 (1m) , the board shall submit a revised notification of participation by certified mail to the applicant and each participating municipality stating the participating municipalities and members appointed to the local committee and informing the applicant and participating municipalities that negotiations may recommence or if the additional affected municipality does not take the actions required to participate in the negotiation and arbitration process under par. (a) , the board shall notify the applicant and other participating municipalities of this fact by certified mail and informing them that negotiations may recommence.

(d) Rescission. A siting resolution may be rescinded at any time by a resolution of the governing body of the municipality which adopted it. When a siting resolution is rescinded, individuals appointed by the governing body of the municipality to serve on the local committee are removed from membership on the local committee.

(e) Prohibition on participation by municipality which is also applicant. An affected municipality which is also the applicant or which contracts with the applicant to construct or operate a facility may not adopt a siting resolution.

(f) Failure to participate. If no affected municipality takes the actions required to participate in the negotiation and arbitration process under par. (a) , the applicant may continue to seek state approval of the facility, is not required to negotiate or arbitrate under this section and the facility is not subject to any local approval, notwithstanding sub. (5) .

(g) Extension for filing. If the governing body of an affected municipality adopts a siting resolution under par. (a) or (b) , and if the affected municipality does not send a copy of the siting resolution to the applicant and the board within 7 days, the board may grant an extension of time to allow the affected municipality to send a copy of the siting resolution to the applicant and the board, if the board determines that:

1. The municipality failed to send the siting resolution through mistake, inadvertence or excusable neglect; and

2. The granting of an extension will not create a significant hardship for other parties to the negotiation and arbitration process.

(7) Local committee.

(a) Appointment of members. Members of the local committee shall be appointed by the governing body of each affected municipality passing a siting resolution, as follows:

1. A town, city or village in which all or part of a facility is proposed to be located shall appoint 4 members or the number of members appointed under subds. 1m. and 2. plus 2, whichever is greater, no more than 2 of whom are elected officials or municipal employees.

1m. A county in which all or part of a facility is proposed to be located shall appoint 2 members.

2. Any affected municipality, other than those specified under subd. 1. or 1m. , shall appoint one member.

(b) Disclosure of private interests. Each member of a local committee shall file a statement with the board within 15 days after the person is appointed to the local committee specifying the economic interests of the member and his or her immediate family members that would be affected by the proposed facility and its development.

(c) Failure to disclose private interests. If a person fails to file a statement of economic interest as required under par. (b) , he or she may not serve on the local committee and the position to which he or she was appointed is vacant.

(d) Removal; vacancies. A participating municipality may remove and replace at will the members it appoints to the local committee. Vacancies on the local committee shall be filled in the same manner as initial appointments.

(e) Chairperson. The local committee shall elect one of its members as chairperson.

(f) Quorum. A majority of the membership of the local committee constitutes a quorum to do business and a majority of that quorum may act in any matter before the local committee. Each member of the local committee has one vote in any matter before the committee and no member may vote by proxy.

(g) Open meetings. Meetings of the local committee are subject to subch. V of ch. 19 .

(7n) Additional municipal parties.

(a) Agreement to add. Upon the written agreement of all parties to a negotiation and arbitration proceeding commenced under this section, a municipality which does not qualify as an affected municipality may be added as a party to the proceeding.

(b) Siting resolution. If a municipality is added to the negotiation and arbitration proceeding under par. (a) , it shall adopt a siting resolution under sub. (6) within 30 days of the agreement and otherwise comply with the other provisions of this section.

(8) Subjects of negotiation and arbitration.

(a) The applicant and the local committee may negotiate with respect to any subject except:

1. Any proposal to make the applicant’s responsibilities under the approved feasibility report or plan of operation less stringent.

2. The need for the facility.

(b) Only the following items are subject to arbitration under this section: