Wisconsin Administrative Code › Department of Natural Resources › NR 100-199 - Environmental Protection General › Chapter NR 150 - Environmental Analysis And Review Procedures › Section NR 150.03 - Definitions

Current through June 24, 2024
(1) "Action" means any final decision by the
				department to exercise the department's statutory or administrative rule
				authority that affects the quality of the human environment including actions
				under s.
				NR
				150.20(1m) to (4), but not including
				policies as defined in sub. (19).
(2) "Alternatives" means other actions or
				activities which may be reasonably available to achieve the same or altered
				purpose of the proposed action or project, including the alternative of no
				action.
(3) "Applicant" means a
				person who applies for a permit, license, or approval granted or issued by the
				department.
(4) "Cumulative
				effects" means compounding effects resulting from repeated or other proximal
				actions, activities or projects.
(5) "Department" means the department of
				natural resources.
(5m) "Department
				facility" means department infrastructure, including dams, buildings, roads,
				and trails for resource management, public use, or other purposes.
(6) "EIR" means environmental impact
				report.
(7) "EIS" means
				environmental impact statement.
(8)
				"Environmental analysis" means a detailed analysis that evaluates a proposed
				action or project's effect on the human environment and studies, develops and
				describes alternatives to the proposed action or project.
(9) "Environmental effect," "effect,"
				"environmental impact," "impact," "effect on the environment," or
				"environmental consequence" means a direct, indirect, secondary, or cumulative
				change to the quality of the human environment.
(12) "Human environment" means the natural or
				physical environment, including the components, structures, and functioning of
				ecosystems, and the relationship of people with that environment, including
				aesthetic, historic, cultural, economic, social, and human health-related
				components.
(12m) "Integrated
				analysis action" means a department action for which department programmatic
				procedures provide for public disclosure and include an environmental analysis
				that provides sufficient information to establish that an environmental impact
				statement is not required.
(13)
				"Issue" means a general subject, topic or question concerning the use of, or
				effect on, natural resources about which the department may or may not have
				authority.
(14) "Lead agency" means
				the state or federal agency with primary concern or responsibility for a given
				project or action as determined by law, interagency consultation, or written
				agreement.
(15) "Minor action"
				means a department action that is not subject to s.
				1.11(2)
				(c), Stats., because it is not in conflict
				with state or federal environmental policies and is not likely to do any of the
				following:
(a) Set precedent for reducing or
				limiting environmental protection.
(b) Result in deleterious effects over large
				geographic areas.
(c) Result in
				long-term deleterious effects that are prohibitively difficult or expensive to
				reverse.
(d) Result in deleterious
				effects on especially important, critical or sensitive environmental
				resources.
(e) Involve broad public
				controversy.
(f) Result in
				substantial risk to human life, health, or safety.