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State and Local Government

State Agency Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Wis. Stat. § 299.045; Section 290; pp. 154)

  • Definitions
    • “Agency” means the department of administration, the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the department of corrections, the department of health services, the department of natural resources, the department of public instruction, the department of transportation, the department of veterans affairs, and the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
    • “Biomass” has the meaning given in s. 196.374 (1) (am).
    • “Global warming potential” has the meaning given in s. 299.03 (1) (c).
    • “Greenhouse gas” has the meaning given in s. 299.03 (1) (d).
  • Analysis. No later than the first day of the 13th month beginning after the date on which the department of administration prescribes the initial guidelines and protocols under s. 16.954 (2), each agency shall prepare an analysis that estimates the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that are attributable to activities of the agency in calendar years 2005 and 2010.
  • Development and Achievement of Goals. Each agency shall:
    • Establish achievable goals for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions identified in its analysis under sub. (2) which shall include a reduction by January 1, 2020, to an annual amount that is 22 percent lower than the annual amount attributable to the agency in 2005.
    • Develop a plan for achieving the goals established in par. (a) by means of specific actions to be taken and completed no later than January 1, 2020.
  • Elements of Plan. In developing its plan under sub. (3) (b), each agency shall consider all cost−effective and technically feasible opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including:
    • Increasing the efficiency of energy use by the agency.
    • Installing renewable energy systems in facilities used by the agency.
    • Purchasing energy derived from renewable resources for use by the agency.
    • Increasing the efficiency of boilers in existing facilities used by the agency.
    • Converting boilers in existing facilities used by the agency to fuels that result in lower net greenhouse gas emissions, including biomass fuels.
    • Reducing transportation−related emissions by the agency in all of the following ways:
      • Converting the agency’s on−road and off−road vehicle fleet to vehicles that are more efficient, or that use renewable fuels, or both.
      • Encouraging teleconferencing in lieu of attending in−person meetings that require travel to meeting sites.
      • Encouraging employees of the agency to telecommute, carpool, bicycle, walk, or use public transit.
      • Reducing the idling of on−road and off−road motor vehicles operated by the agency.
      • Reducing idling of on−road and off−road motor vehicles operated by any person who enters into a contract with an agency and who receives payments under that contract from moneys appropriated by this state with respect to services performed under the contract, whether or not within this state, during the period that the contract is in effect.
      • Converting the refrigerants used in on−road and off−road motor vehicles in the vehicle fleet maintained by the agency to refrigerants with low global warming potential.
      • Purchasing fuels for on−road and off−road motor vehicles used by the agency that are derived in whole or in part from renewable resources.
      • Any other appropriate means.
    • Reducing the water and other materials used by the agency.
    • Increasing the recycling of waste generated by the agency.
    • Planting trees or deep−rooted, herbaceous, perennial plants on lands controlled by the agency, including highway rights−of−way and building grounds.
  • Biennial Reports. No later than March 1 of each odd−numbered year each agency shall report to the department of administration in the form specified by that department concerning its progress toward achieving or success in maintaining adherence to the goals established by the agency under sub. (3) (a).
  • Idling Reduction Assistance. The department shall assist agencies in identifying opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through development of idling reduction techniques for incorporation into agency plans under sub. (4) (f) 4. and 5.
  • Duties of Dept. of Administration (Wis. Stat. § 16.954; Section 4; pp. 32-33)
    • Requires any state agency to prescribe guidelines and protocols for use by agencies in:
      • Estimating the amount of GHG emissions that attributable to each of those agencies.
      • Establishing achievable goals for the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions that are attributable to each of those agencies.
      • Developing plans to achieve the goals in this bill.
    • The DOA shall establish a schedule of energy efficiency goals for each agency that are designed to ensure that, by 2030, the overall energy use by all agencies is reduced to a level that is 30% lower than the overall energy use by all agencies in 2005.
    • The DOA shall establish goals for each agency that are designed to ensure that overall use by all agencies of energy derived from biomass sources is at least equivalent to the following percentages by the dates specified:
      • 10 by 2010
      • 15% by 2015
      • 20% by 2020
      • 25% by 2025
    • No later than July 1 of each odd-numbered year, the DOA shall prepare and submit to the DNR a report that summarized the reports received in that year.

Local Government: Municipal Levy Limit (Wis. Stat. § 66.0602; Sections 23, 24, 9101, 9333; pp. 40-41)

  • Provides a new exception to the local levy limit as follows:
    • The amount that a political subdivision levies in that year to pay for energy efficiency measures and renewable energy products that result in the avoidance of, or reduction in, energy costs. The department of administration shall promulgate rules to facilitate the implementation of this subdivision by creating standards and definitions for terms including energy efficiency measures, renewable energy products, and energy costs.