Environment

AB 130 exempts specific groups from certain PFAS enforcement actions under Wisconsin's spills law if they allow the state to clean up contaminated land at no cost to them. It directly affects landowners, fire departments, airports, wastewater spreaders, and waste facilities that handled PFAS-contaminated materials legally. The bill creates exemptions for those who spread permitted biosolids, owned land where such spreading occurred, used PFAS in emergency response (per federal rules), accepted PFAS waste, or own property not responsible for the contamination origin. This applies only to enforcement sections related to PFAS contamination under the spills law, not all PFAS regulations.

AB 840 regulates data centers in the state by requiring specific operational and environmental standards. It mandates that data centers use closed-loop cooling systems (recycling water instead of using fresh water) and report annual water usage to the department. The bill also requires renewable energy facilities serving data centers to be located on-site and prohibits utility customers from paying for data center infrastructure costs. Additionally, operators must provide financial bonds for construction and restore land if projects are abandoned. These provisions directly affect all data center operators and developers in the state.

AB 612 reauthorizes funding for the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship 2000 program and establishes specific funding streams for land conservation. It directs $5 million annually to department property development, $4 million for nonprofit land acquisition grants, $1 million for habitat restoration, and $2 million for local conservation assistance. The bill specifies that these funds come from the conservation fund and forestry activity revenues, with strict annual spending limits for the stewardship program (capping at $86 million in some years). It does not create new policy but reorganizes existing funding mechanisms to support state and local land conservation efforts.

AB 472 creates a tax credit for nuclear energy generation in Wisconsin, directly affecting electric utilities operating nuclear facilities. The bill establishes a credit of $10,000 per megawatt for the first 10 years (decreasing annually to $1,000 by year 19), payable against state taxes for facilities operating in-state and generating electricity. Utilities may transfer or sell these credits to other taxpayers subject to state taxes. The legislation also reclassifies nuclear energy as a "renewable resource" for reporting purposes starting in 2026 and allows utilities to recover certain pre-certification costs through customer rates.

AB 315 modifies grant rules for Wisconsin's Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship program and land conservation efforts. It creates new provisions requiring governmental units and nonprofits to apply for funding *before* purchasing land to qualify for up to 50% of acquisition costs (reduced to 40% if applying after purchase). The bill maintains a 30% cap on additional costs covered by grants or in-kind contributions. These changes directly affect local governments and conservation groups seeking state funds to acquire land for parks, recreation, or conservation. The bill does not create new funding but adjusts eligibility and percentage limits for existing programs.