Policy Updates

Policy Updates

Wisconsin Act 13

This Act allows the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to expedite urban forestry grants to communities following catastrophic storm damage. Previously, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) administered a program under which counties, cities, villages, towns, and nonprofit organizations receive grants of up to 50 percent of the cost for certain projects relating to tree management such as development of ordinances and tree inventories. Under Act 13, in addition to these grants, DNR may award grants to any of these entities, plus Indian tribes, for the costs of saving, removing, or replacing trees damaged in a catastrophic storm event in an urban area for which the governor has declared a state of emergency. This type of grant does not require that the recipient contribute to the costs of saving, removing, or replacing the trees. DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator Dick Rideout testified before the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources that the bill would “eliminate the 50-percent local cost-share requirement. The removal of the cost-share requirement for these specific grants will reduce paperwork required by the recipient and ease the strain on local budgets during a time of emergency.” Governor Jim Doyle signed this Act into law on May 30, 2007.