PSCW Gives Final Approval to Cardinal-Hickory Creek Transmission Line
Date Tue, Oct. 8, 2019 - 8:51am By Hamilton
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) has given final approval for the Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line. The line will electrically connect Dane County, Wisconsin to Dubuque County, Iowa. Additional approvals are needed from the Iowa Utilities Board and federal agencies. The commissioners voted unanimously to approve the application and conditions, which received initial approval […]
Gov. Evers Requests AG Opinion on Act 21
Date Mon, Oct. 7, 2019 - 4:27pm By Hamilton
Attorney General Josh Kaul is currently considering a request from Gov. Tony Evers for a formal opinion regarding the applicability of 2011 Act 21. Act 21 provided a broad scope of rulemaking reforms. The legislation clarified that agencies may not enforce requirements unless explicitly permitted by statute or properly promulgated rule and further refined what an […]
Gov. Evers Announces New WEDC CEO
Date Mon, Sep. 16, 2019 - 10:19am By Hamilton
On Sept. 5, Gov. Tony Evers announced his appointment of Missy Hughes as secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). Hughes replaces former WEDC CEO Mark Hogan, who left the agency at the beginning of the month. As part of the 2018 extraordinary session legislation, 2017 Act 369 gave the governor the […]
Status of Gov. Evers Appointments
Date Thu, Aug. 8, 2019 - 11:35am By Hamilton
UPDATED: 10/8/19 After Gov. Tony Evers’s inauguration in January, the governor began appointing cabinet secretaries and staff for his new administration. The appointments are still making their way through the Senate for confirmation. While none have been confirmed by the full Senate, most have been voted out of committees. Below is an update on the […]
PFAS Update: DNR & AG Kaul Actions, Industry Response to DHS Standards
Date Wed, Aug. 7, 2019 - 10:36am By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Water Quality Coalition recently submitted a letter and comments to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) in response to recommended strict groundwater standards for two PFAS chemicals, PFOA and PFOS. If promulgated as an enforceable rule, the standards would be costly to Wisconsin industry and would open up the state for frivolous lawsuits. In addition to […]
DHS and DNR Release Strict PFAS Groundwater Standard
Date Wed, Jun. 26, 2019 - 5:25pm By Hamilton
The Department of Health Services (DHS), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Department of Trade, Agriculture & Consumer Protection announced last week a recommended groundwater standard of 20 parts per trillion (ppt) combined for PFOA and PFOS. PFOA and PFOS are the most extensively produced and studied of a class of chemicals referred to as […]
PSC Approves Wisconsin’s First Large Scale Solar Projects
Date Thu, Apr. 18, 2019 - 3:54pm By Hamilton
On April 11, the Public Service Commission (PSC) approved Wisconsin’s first utility scale solar projects. According to PSC, the two projects together will more than quadruple Wisconsin’s solar capacity and produce enough energy to power 120,000 households annually. The Two Creeks solar generation facility will be located in Manitowoc and Kewaunee counties near Two Rivers […]
Positive Medicaid Budget Projected by End of Current Biennium
Date Fri, Apr. 5, 2019 - 11:11am By Hamilton
On March 29, the Department of Health Services (DHS) submitted an updated projection for the state’s Medicaid budget to the Joint Finance Committee. DHS estimates the Medicaid budget will end the current 2017-19 biennium with a surplus of $233.9 million GPR. The biennium ends on June 30, 2019. This is an increase of $21.1 million […]
DNR Proposes Changes to Air Permit Processes
Date Fri, Mar. 22, 2019 - 10:57am By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is currently promulgating rules that would update DNR code related to air permitting processes (Wis. Admin. Code NR 406 and 407). The rulemaking includes provisions to create some additional permit exemptions, implement electronic reporting, clarify certain types of activity to which permits apply, and restrict administrative corrections to […]
PSCW Approves Notice of Investigation of Electric Vehicles
Date Fri, Feb. 22, 2019 - 8:59am By Hamilton
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) unanimously voted on Feb. 21 to open a generic docket (PSCW Docket # 5-EI-156) for the investigation of electric vehicle (EV) policy and regulation. The Notice of Investigation lists eight considerations that the Commission’s investigation will include, such as EV impacts on electric storage and transmission; policies and […]