Brownfields_Content Page_Remediation Redevelopment RR Program services and fees

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 ch. NR 749, Wis. Admin. Code.
 

Submit Electronically

Customers are strongly encouraged to submit requests for services via the online RR Program Submittal Portal. Please contact an RR program specialist or project manager with questions about your request or applicable fees.

Services Available

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.

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.

2. 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, § 292.13, Wis. Stats., helps property owners and prospective purchasers understand who is liable when contamination has crossed a property line and impacted neighboring properties. In general, persons in Wisconsin who own contaminated land are responsible for the environmental cleanup. However, this exemption allows neighboring property owners to submit information demonstrating that the contamination came from another property to obtain written confirmation from the DNR that they are not liable for the cleanup.

3. 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 DNR’s liability clarification letters are based on a $700 fee for this service. Additional information regarding liability clarification letters is available on the Environmental Liability webpage.

4. 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).

5. Voluntary Party Liability Exemption Program

Technical assistance is provided under the Voluntary Party Liability Exemption program for an hourly fee.

Fees

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.

Additional information on the implementation of fees is available in Guidance: Implementation of Wis. Admin. Code chs. NR 749 & NR 750 fees (RR-997).

How to Pay Fees

By Credit Card

  1. Submit your documentation through the RR Submittal Portal.
  2. Contact the appropriate regional RR program specialist to obtain an invoice from the DNR.
  3. Follow the instructions provided with the invoice to pay on the EPAY portal.

By ETF/ACH or Wire Transfer

  1. Submit your documentation through the RR Submittal Portal.
  2. Follow the directions in the Instructions For Paying DNR Feeds by Electronic Funds Transfer (ACH-Credit) document, including the payment notification instructions.

By Check

  1. Submit your documentation through the RR Submittal Portal.
  2. Make your check payable to "Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources."
  3. Mail the confirmation page generated by the Submittal Portal with your check to the appropriate regional RR program specialist.

Through the Submittal Portal

Fees for No Action Required or No Further Action letter requests may be paid directly in the RR Submittal Portal.