Waste & Materials Management Program announcements and public comment opportunities

Public comment opportunities from the DNR's Waste & Materials Management Program are available on this page. You can also view DNR-wide public hearings, meetings and public comment opportunities.

Waste and Materials Management Program Guidance in public comment

The Waste and Materials Management Program welcomes input on all program guidance. To offer feedback on existing program guidance, email Waste and Materials Management general mailbox. For guidance open for public comment, email the designated contact person.

There is one guidance document available for public comment.

Guidance available for comment

Document title and link	Public comment deadline	Staff contact
Disposal of Household Smoke Detectors  (WA-2039)	Feb. 28	Andrea Keller

Landfill feasibility

Solid Waste Landfill Feasibility

Under s. 289.23, Wis. Stats., a landfill owner proposing a new landfill or an expansion of an existing landfill must submit a detailed feasibility report to the DNR. Once the DNR determines the report is complete -- i.e., it contains all the elements required by Wisconsin Administrative Code -- the report and its associated documents are posted on our website for public review and comment. This is also an opportunity for qualified persons to request an informational hearing or a contested case hearing. Section 289.26, Wis. Stats., provides a 30-day deadline for public comments and hearing requests to be submitted.

Chapter NR 512, Wis. Adm. Code, specifies the minimum information that must be included in a feasibility report. This includes:

• a comprehensive and detailed site-specific geologic and hydrogeologic investigation that includes baseline groundwater quality data;
• a preliminary engineering design;
• an environmental analysis is conducted;
• documentation of the need for the proposed landfill; and
• an analysis of the alternatives to landfilling, such as waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting and energy recovery initiatives and services.

After the public comment period has ended, the DNR issues a feasibility determination which, if positive, allows the applicant to proceed with development of a detailed plan of operation for the proposed landfill. The feasibility determination will include a determination of compliance with WEPA and NR 150, Wis. Adm. Code.

Current Opportunities

There are no public comment opportunities related to landfill feasibility at this time.

Hazardous waste facility licensing determinations

Hazardous waste facility licensing determinations

Once the DNR determines a hazardous waste facility seeking an operating license has a complete and technically accurate feasibility and plan of operation report, the DNR prepares a preliminary determination, a public notice, a fact sheet and a radio announcement. Information on preliminary determinations is posted on this webpage for public review and comment.

Chapters NR 664 and NR 670, Wis. Adm. Code, specify hazardous waste facility standards and hazardous waste licensing and decision-making procedures. The feasibility determination will include a determination of facility need and compliance with WEPA and NR 150, Wis. Adm. Code.

Recent Opportunities

Koppers Inc./Beazer East, Inc.

The Koppers Inc./Beazer East, Inc. facility formerly performed pressure treatment with creosote for wood products such as railroad cross ties, bridge timbers, switch ties, and crossing panels. The site contains hazardous waste surface impoundments that received hazardous waste (including waste code K001) after July 26, 1982, and that were certified for closure (non-clean) after Jan. 26, 1983. The DNR has reviewed the application submitted on Oct. 10, 2022, and found it to be sufficiently complete. The DNR has preliminarily determined that the facility should be issued a conditional approval for a 10-year term long-term care license renewal.

Warning: Several of these files are large, so downloading may take a few minutes on slow internet connections. The documents available here can also be viewed at one of the locations listed in the public notice.

Public notice date: Oct. 11, 2024
Public comment deadline: Nov. 25, 2024

Documents prepared by the DNR:

• Public Notice: Koppers Inc./Beazer East, Inc.
• Fact Sheet: Koppers Inc./Beazer East, Inc.
• Preliminary Determination for Koppers Inc./Beazer East, Inc.

Documents prepared and submitted on behalf of the applicant:

Feasibility and Plan of Operation Report for Koppers Inc./Beazer East, Inc.

• LTC Application Part 1
• LTC Application Part 2
• LTC Application Part 3
• LTC Application Part 4
• Amended Application Pages and Cost Estimate

For questions, contact:

Doug Coenen
Waste Management Engineer
DNR Waste and Materials Management Program

Dredged material disposal facility meeting

Meetings for Dredged Material Disposal

Wisconsin law (s. 289.54, Wis. Stats.) requires the DNR to hold a public meeting before issuing an approval or grant of exemption for disposal or reuse of dredged material. The law applies to all proposals where someone is proposing to dispose of dredged material in a landfill, whether licensed or approved or not, dispose in accordance with a land spreading plan of operation, or dispose of or beneficially reuse dredged material subject to a grant of exemption under the low hazard exemption of s. 289.43 (8), Wis. Stats. The public meeting requirement does not apply to facilities for disposal of dredged material that meets the exemption from licensing and plan review requirements under s. NR 500.08 (3), Wis. Adm. Code.

At the public meeting, the DNR will describe the nature of the requested disposal and solicit public comment.

Current comment opportunity

There are currently no public comment opportunities related to dredge projects.

Coal combustion residual landfills

Coal combustion residual landfill public comment opportunities

The DNR must provide opportunities for public participation upon submittal of the following documents by CCR landfill owners and operators and before certain DNR decisions.

• Plan of operation modification for initial permitting [s. NR 514.045, Wis. Adm. Code]
  • Plan of operation modification report: After the DNR determines a plan of operation modification report is complete, a notice and copy of the report will be published on this webpage. Written comments are due within 60 days after the notice is published. The DNR holds a virtual or in-person public meeting during the 60-day comment period to receive oral comments on the complete submittal.
  • Draft and final decision issued by the DNR: The DNR issues a draft decision within 60 days after the end of the comment period. The draft decision includes a written response to comments and is posted on this webpage for 30 days for public comment. The DNR issues a final decision within 30 days following the end of the comment period.
• Remedial action options report [s. NR 508.06(3)(e), Wis. Adm. Code.]: When a remedial action is necessary, the DNR holds a public informational hearing to discuss the results of the remedial action options report with interested and affected parties at least 30 days before selection of a remedy.
• Draft plan of operation or plan of operation modifications after initial permitting [ss. NR 514.04(7) and (8), Wis. Adm. Code]: CCR landfill owners and operators are required to submit a draft copy of any plan of operation or plan of operation modification affecting the closure plan, liner system, leachate system or changes that reduce the stringency of groundwater monitoring requirements. These plans are required to be posted for public comment for at least 30 days. During this time, any county, city, village or town, the applicant, or any six or more individuals may file a written request for a public meeting with the DNR. If a public meeting is held, the DNR will solicit public comments on the report at the meeting.
• Feasibility report for new or expanded facility [ss. 289.23-289.29, Wis. Stats., and ch. NR 512, Wis. Adm. Code]: After the DNR determines the feasibility report is complete, the report and associated documents are posted for public review and a 30-day public comment period. This is also an opportunity for qualified individuals to request an informational hearing or a contested case hearing. Refer to the landfill feasibility section of this page for more information and current opportunities.

Find additional reports and information on websites CCR landfill owners and operators are required to maintain.

• U.S. EPA's list of publicly accessible internet sites hosting compliance data and information required by the disposal of CCR rules

Monitoring data for each facility is available through the DNR's Groundwater and Environmental Monitoring System.

• GEMS on the Web

Current opportunities for public participation

There are no public comment opportunities related to CCR landfills at this time.