23.197 Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship programs; specific projects or activities.

(1) Root River; multipurpose pathway.

(a) From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) or (tz) or both, the department shall provide funding to the city of Racine for a multipurpose pathway along the Root River. The amount provided by the department may not exceed the amount that equals the matching contribution for the pathway made by the city of Racine or $1,125,000, whichever is less.

(b) The department shall determine how the moneys being provided under par. (a) will be allocated between the appropriations under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) and (tz). For purposes of s. 23.0915 (1), moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz) shall be treated as moneys expended for any of the purposes specified under s. 23.0915 (1) (a) to (k) or any combination of those purposes. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated from either or both of the subprograms under s. 23.0917 (3) and (4).

(2) Rock River; river wall.

(a) From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) or (tz) or both, the department shall provide funding to the city of Fort Atkinson for the restoration of a river wall along the Rock River. The amount provided by the department may not exceed the amount that equals the matching contribution made for the river wall by the city of Fort Atkinson or $96,500, whichever is less. The requirements for matching contributions under s. 30.277 (5) shall apply.

(b) The department shall determine how the moneys being provided under par. (a) will be allocated between the appropriations under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) and (tz). For purposes of s. 23.0915 (1), moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz) shall be treated as moneys expended for urban river grants. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated under the subprogram for property development and local assistance.

(2m) Kickapoo valley reserve; visitor center. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta), the department shall provide $2,370,000 to the Kickapoo reserve management board for construction of a visitor center and administration building at the Kickapoo valley reserve. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated from either or both of the subprograms under s. 23.0917 (3) and (4).

(3) Keyes Lake; recreational area.

(a) From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) or (tz) or both, the department shall provide the amount necessary for the development of a recreational area on Keyes Lake in Florence County, but the amount may not exceed $125,000.

(b) The department shall determine how the moneys being provided under par. (a) will be allocated between the appropriations under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) and (tz). For purposes of s. 23.0915 (1), moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz) shall be treated as moneys expended for any of the purposes specified under s. 23.0915 (1) (a) to (k) or any combination of those purposes. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated from either or both of the subprograms under s. 23.0917 (3) and (4).

(3m) Rib Mountain State Park.

(a) From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) or (tz) or both, the department shall provide funding in the amount of $50,000 to rebuild the chalet at Rib Mountain State Park. The department shall determine how the moneys being provided under this paragraph will be allocated between the appropriations under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) and (tz). For purposes of s. 23.0915 (1), moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz) shall be treated as moneys expended for general property development. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated under the subprogram for property development and local assistance.

(b) In addition to the amounts provided under par. (a), the department shall provide, from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta), funding in the amount of $1,000,000 to reconstruct the chalet at Rib Mountain State Park for which funding is provided under par. (a). For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided under this paragraph shall be treated as moneys obligated under either or both of the subprograms under s. 23.0917 (3) and (4).

(4) Grant for land acquisition and habitat restoration.

(a) In this subsection:

1. “Nonprofit organization" means a nonprofit corporation, a charitable trust or other nonprofit association that is described in section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

2. “Land" has the meaning given in s. 23.0917 (1) (d).

(b) From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta), the department may award a single grant of $20,000 to an organization that is not a nonprofit organization but that has entered into an agreement with a nonprofit organization in order to apply for the grant. The grant may be used for land acquisition for conservation or recreation purposes or for habitat restoration or both. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys obligated for this grant shall be treated as moneys obligated under the subprogram for land acquisition.

(c) In order to receive the grant under this section, the nonprofit organization and the other organization who are parties to the agreement specified under par. (b) shall enter into a contract with the department that contains conditions imposed by the department on the use of the grant, on any land acquired with moneys from the grant and on any transfer to a 3rd party of any such acquired land.

(d) Title to the land acquired with moneys from the grant under this section shall vest in the nonprofit organization. If the nonprofit organization or the other organization violates any essential provision of the contract entered into under par. (c), title to the land shall vest in the state.

(6) Sheboygan; riverfront park. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz), the department shall provide $173,763 for the development and expansion of Workers Water Street Riverfront Park in the city of Sheboygan. For purposes of s. 23.0915 (1), moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tz) shall be treated as moneys expended for any of the purposes specified under s. 23.0915 (1) (a) to (k) or any combination of those purposes.

(7m) Wisconsin agricultural stewardship initiative facility. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta), the department shall provide funding in the amount of $1,000,000 for the Wisconsin agricultural stewardship initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to construct a facility to be used for conducting research and for training farmers concerning the development of sound environmental farming practices. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided under this subsection shall be treated as moneys obligated under either or both of the subprograms under s. 23.0917 (3) and (4).

(8) State fair park construction. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta), the department shall provide $2,000,000 for projects that are approved by the state fair park board. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided under this subsection shall be treated as moneys obligated under either or both of the subprograms under s. 23.0917 (3) and (4).

(9) Prairie River restoration. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta), the department shall provide funding to the city of Merrill in the amount of $450,000 for a project to restore an area on the exposed bed of the former flowage on the Prairie River. For the purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided under this subsection from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated under the subprogram for property development and local assistance.

(10) Mirror Lake; boating access. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta), the department shall provide funding in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 to improve navigability for recreational boating in Mirror Lake in Sauk County and in the streams flowing into the lake. For the purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided under this subsection from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated under either or both of the subprograms under s. 23.0917 (3) and (4).

(11) Jersey Valley Lake. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta), the department shall provide funding in an amount not to exceed $500,000 to Vernon County to restore Jersey Valley Lake. The funding authorized under this subsection shall be in a manner that, for every $1 expended by Vernon County for the repairs and installation, the department shall provide $3. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated from either or both of the subprograms under s. 23.0917 (3) and (4).

(12) Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District; flood management. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta), the department shall provide funding in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 to a nationwide nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to land and water resource preservation to acquire land for a flood management program conducted by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and for habitat restoration on the acquired land. The funding authorized under this subsection shall be in a manner that, for every $1 expended by the nationwide nonprofit conservation organization for the land acquisition, the department shall provide $3. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated from either or both of the subprograms under s. 23.0917 (3) and (4).

(13) Green Bay; recreational trail. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta), the department shall provide funding in an amount not to exceed $875,800 to the city of Green Bay to acquire land for a bicycle and pedestrian trail. The funding authorized under this subsection shall be in a manner that, for every $1 expended by the city of Green Bay for the land acquisition, the department shall provide $3. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated from either or both of the subprograms under s. 23.0917 (3) and (4).

(14) Antigo; trail development. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta), the department shall provide funding in an amount not to exceed $600,000 to the city of Antigo for property development related to the ice age trail and the Springbrook trail located within the city. The funding authorized under this subsection shall be in a manner that, for every $1 expended by the city of Antigo for the property development, the department shall provide $1. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated from either or both of the subprograms under s. 23.0917 (3) and (4).

(15) Agricultural easements. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta), the department of natural resources shall provide to the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection the amount necessary for the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection to purchase agricultural conservation easements under s. 93.73 (7) that were preliminarily approved under s. 93.73 (5) during 2010, but the amount may not exceed $5,200,000. For the purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided under this subsection from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated under the subprogram under s. 23.0917 (3), but the easements acquired with these moneys shall otherwise not be treated as easements that are acquired under the stewardship program under s. 23.0917.

(16) Neenah and Menasha; twin trestles project. From the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta), the department shall provide funding in an amount not to exceed $1,600,000 to the cities of Neenah and Menasha for up to 50 percent of the cost of constructing 2 pedestrian bridges across the Fox River and pedestrian trails to connect the bridges to existing pedestrian trails. For purposes of s. 23.0917, moneys provided from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) shall be treated as moneys obligated for local assistance under the subprogram under s. 23.0917 (4).

History: 1999 a. 9, 84; 2001 a. 16; 2007 a. 20; 2011 a. 32; 2015 a. 55.