Remediation & Redevelopment (RR) Program services and fees

Wisconsin's RR Program can provide a variety of services to assist in the investigation and cleanup of environmental contamination and the redevelopment of contaminated properties. The program collects fees to support certain services, as required by Chapter NR 749 in Wisconsin Administrative Code (Wis. Admin. Code).

The complete list of fees is available in Wis. Adm. Code, ch. 749. The Remediation and Redevelopment Program Fee Schedule (RR-966) provides a printable version of program fees.

How To Pay Fees

How To Pay Fees

Fees associated with requests for department assistance under Wis. Adm. Code, ch. 749 may be paid electronically and securely through the RR Program Submittal Portal (Submittal Portal) using the State of Wisconsin’s Electronic Payment System. Electronic fee payment is available with documentation or as a Payment Only option.

Options to pay electronically include:

• Pay by E-Check: Fee is withdrawn directly from a checking account.
• Pay by Credit Card: Fee is charged to a credit card (adds a 2.5% surcharge fee).
• Pay by ACH (checking or savings account): Fee is transferred to RR Program’s account.

Electronic payment through the Submittal Portal is preferred.

If paying by paper check, submit documentation via the Submittal Portal and print a copy of the confirmation page generated. Make checks payable to "Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources" and mail the confirmation with the check to the appropriate regional RR program specialist.

Please note, invoices generated for payments [e.g., quarterly Voluntary Party Liability Exemption (VPLE) program bills] may not be paid electronically through the Submittal Portal. Follow instructions with the invoice to submit payment.

Services Available For A Fee

Services Available For A Fee

The following types of assistance are available from the DNR for a fee. Fee amounts are listed in the DNR's fee schedule.

1. Technical Assistance

The DNR may provide technical assistance to responsible parties for specific technical assistance, such as review of site investigation work plans, site investigation reports, remedial action plans and requests for case closure when the request is submitted with the appropriate fee.

To request assistance with reports and documents, post-closure modifications or to request a meeting, use the Technical Assistance, Environmental Liability Clarification or Post-Closure Modification Request form. Note: Requests to modify continuing obligations are $1,050 per request, in addition to other applicable database fees.

For additional information regarding case closure requests, see Guidance on Case Closure on the Requirements for Managing Continuing Obligations (RR-606).

For requests for approval to build on a historical fill site, see the Contaminated Soil and Sediment webpage under Fill Exemptions.

Additional information regarding exempt soil, importing fill, contaminated soil management and contained out determinations is available on the Contaminated Soil and Sediment webpage under Management.

A "no further action" determination letter from the DNR may be requested for $350.

A "no action required" determination letter may be requested for $700 [Note: A "no action required" determination with no request for formal DNR response (i.e., no letter from the DNR) does not require a fee.].

2. Meetings with the DNR

A meeting with the DNR is included in most requests for technical review that are submitted with a fee. Stand-alone meetings with the DNR may be requested for $700.

3. Liability Exemption Determinations

Impacted neighbors who can demonstrate that their property was contaminated by pollutants that crossed the property line from another property may be eligible for a state environmental liability exemption.

The offsite exemption helps property owners and prospective purchasers understand who is liable when contamination crosses a property line and impacts neighboring properties, Wis. Stats. § 292.13. In general, persons in Wisconsin who own contaminated land are responsible for the environmental cleanup. However, this exemption allows neighboring property owners to submit a fee of $700 with information demonstrating that the contamination came from another property to obtain written confirmation from the DNR that they are not liable for the cleanup.

4. Liability Clarification Letters

Individuals, local governments, lenders and businesses can request a general liability clarification letter from the DNR. These letters can help property owners, potential purchasers, neighbors, tenants or others complete real estate, business or financial transactions with written environmental liability clarifications from the DNR. These letters provide property-specific responses to the liability questions posed by the person requesting a letter. The service fee to request a liability clarification letter is $700. Additional information regarding liability clarification letters is available on the Environmental Liability webpage.

5. Negotiated Agreements

A negotiated agreement is a legal contract between a party or parties and the DNR that identifies and clarifies the roles and responsibilities for a non-emergency cleanup of a contaminated site. The agreement may also include the responsibilities and limits on the long-term care and maintenance of the site. The purpose of an agreement is to provide a defined yet flexible tool to encourage site cleanup. More information is available in the Guidance: Negotiated Agreement Fact Sheet (RR-664).

For development of a negotiated agreement, the $1,400 review fee is required per Wis. Admin. Code § NR 749.04, Table 1(a)(3). Additional fees may be charged for other reports or activities identified in the negotiated agreement, or responsible parties may choose to pay the hourly fees under Wis. Admin. Code ch. 750. The fee option selected should be identified in the negotiated agreement and agreed upon by both parties.

6. Voluntary Party Liability Exemption Program

Technical assistance is provided under the Voluntary Party Liability Exemption program for an hourly fee. Fees for sites in the Voluntary Party Liability Exemptions process are established in Chapter NR 750, Wis. Adm. Code.

Fee Information

Fee Information

The complete list of fees is available in Chapter NR 749, Wis. Adm. Code. The Remediation and Redevelopment Program Fee Schedule (RR-966) provides a printable version of program fees.

Fees for sites in the Voluntary Party Liability Exemptions process are established in Chapter NR 750, Wis. Adm. Code.

1. Enforcement

Wis. Stat. § 292.94 authorizes the DNR to assess and collect fees from persons that are subject to an order or other enforcement action. Fees are applied pursuant to Wis. Admin. Code § NR 749.04(1), Table 1, for all reports or submittals identified in the enforcement conference summary. Fees are not charged for the enforcement conference.

2. Deed Restrictions

Requests to extinguish deed restrictions require a $1,050 modification fee if the site was never listed in the DNR database. Database fees may apply to a site listed on the DNR database if continuing obligations apply to the site after the deed restrictions are extinguished.

3. Database Fees

The maximum database fee that may apply to a request to review is $650. In addition to database fees that may apply at the time of case closure, database fees may also apply at times other than closure, when continuing obligations are imposed, modified or removed. 

4. State Lead Projects

Fees are not charged to state lead projects. Costs recovered are deposited into the program revenue or fee account.  

5. Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund (DERF)

Submittals for DERF-eligible sites are typically not charged a technical assistance fee, as staff review time is covered by the dry cleaner fund. Exceptions include when the reimbursement cap is reached, when the investigation and/or cleanup is paid by insurance, or when the case is subject to enforcement.

6. State And Federal Agency Sites

When state or federal agencies provide direct funding for permanent or limited term employees, either through service agreements or cooperative agreements, the DNR does not charge fees for project oversight.