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PresentedbyAndrewT.PhillipsandRebeccaJ.Roeker,

vonBriesen&Roper,s.c.

BeyondtheBasics– AnUpdatetotheNonferrousMetallicMiningHandbook

WisconsinCountiesAssociationWebinarMay22,2018

DISCUSSIONOVERVIEW• BackgroundandLegislativeChanges(Act134)• MetallicMiningHandbookOverview• FrequentQuestionsRegardingMetallicMiningRegulation

• OptionsforWisconsinCountiesAssociation’sMemberCounties

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BackgroundInformationandLegislativeChanges– Act134

andBeyond

Section1

Act134– LiftingofWisconsin’sMetallicMining“Moratorium”

• Enactedon12-10-17,effective07-01-18.

• AmendsprovisionsofWis.Stat.Ch.293.

• WhytheChanges?

UltimateQuestion:

The“5W’s”and“how”muchcanWisconsincountiesregulate?

Post-Act134• Whathaschanged?• “10-YearRule”repealed.

• Applicabilityofgroundwaterstandards.

• Separateapprovalprocessforbulksampling

• Miningpermitapplicationtimeline.

• Withdrawalofgroundwater/highcapacitywellapproval.

• Hearingandreviewprocess.

• ExemptionfromSolidWasteFees.

• Financialassurancerequirementsstructure.

• WhathasNOTchanged?• “Who”and“Where”:Localauthoritiesmaystillregulate(toanextent).

• “Who”and“When”:LocalImpactCommitteesmaydiscussagreement.

• “What”and“How”:Abilitytowaivezoningregulations.

• What:Requiringotherformsoffinancialassurance.

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OverviewofWCA’s

NonferrousMetallicMiningHandbook

Section2

WCA’sMetallicMiningHandbook• CommenceddraftinginJanuary,2018.

• PublishedMay1,2018after“pre-launch”meetingwithnortherncounties.

• AvailableonWCA’swebsite.

• ComprehensiveguideforWisconsin’scountiestoaddressandunderstandissuespresentedbynonferrousmetallicmining.

WCA’sMetallicMiningHandbook(con.)

TheHandbookincludesthefollowingsections:

• GeneralReferenceInformation.

• ProceduralLimitationsAndConsiderations.

• EnvironmentalRegulatoryConsiderations.

• ConsiderationsForBothZoningOrdinancesAndLicensingOrdinances.

• ZoningOrdinances.Section VIII– LicensingOrdinances.

• LocalImpactCommittees.

• LocalAgreements.

• DevelopmentMoratoria.

WCA’sMetallicMiningHandbook- Contents• Includescross-referencestoothersectionstoeaseanalysisofcomplexissues.

• Includes“FAQs”thatmayalsobeusedasastand-alonedocumentfordistributiontothepublic.

• Severalsectionsincludeinformationthatwillbehelpfulonzoningandplanningissuesbeyondmetallicmining.

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EnvironmentalRegulationandConsiderations

Section3

RegulationofEnvironmentalImpactsofMetallicMining

• StateandFederalRegulations

• CountymaynotregulateonissuesthatarepreemptedbyFederalandStatelaw.– LakeBeulahMgmt.Dist.v.E.Troy, 2011WI55,335Wis.2d92,799N.W.2d787,theWisconsinSupremeCourtestablishedafour-factortesttodeterminewhetheralocalregulationispreemptedbystatelaw:

• Hasthestatelegislationexpresslywithdrawnthepowersofmunicipalitiestoact?

• Doesthelocalregulationlogicallyconflictwithstatelegislation?

• Doesthelocalregulationdefeatthepurposeofthestatelegislation?

• Doesthelocalregulationviolatethespiritofthestatelegislation?

RegulationofEnvironmentalImpactsofMetallicMining(con.)

• Chapter 293alsorecognizestheroleoflocalunitsofgovernmentinWisDNR’sreviewandapprovalprocessesfornonferrousmetallicminingpermits.

• WisconsinStatute§ 293.49(1)(a)6conditionsWisDNR’sgrantofaminingpermituponitsfindingthat“theproposedminingoperationconformswithallapplicablezoningordinances.”

RegulationofEnvironmentalImpactsofMetallicMining(con.)

• WisconsinCountiesMayRegulate:– EnvironmentalconsiderationsnotpreemptedbyStateorFederallaw.– EnvironmentalconsiderationsthatareregulatedbyStateorFederallaw,solongastheCountyregulationsarenotmorerestrictive.• However,whatifthereisaparticularenvironmentalissuerequiringCountyregulation??

EnvironmentalRegulationandLocalAgreements(con.)• Wisconsincourtshavenotdeterminedwhetherpreemptionstandardsapplytolocalagreements.

• Toavoidpotentiallegalchallengesaltogether,acountywishingtoincludemorestringentenvironmentalregulationsthanrequiredbystateorfederallawshouldstillmeetthefourprongsoftheLakeBeulah.

EnvironmentalRegulationandLocalAgreements(con.)

Whenregulatinganissuethatmaybepreempted,thecountyshouldask:• DidtheStateLegislatureexpresslywithdrawthepowersofacountytoact?No– Chapter293doesnothaveanexpressprohibitionagainstacounty(orotherlocalunitofgovernment)fromimposingenvironmentalrestrictionsonnonferrousmetallicminingoperations.

• DoesthecountyregulationconflictwithChapter293orotherstatelegislation?

• DoesthecountyregulationdefeatthepurposeofChapter293orotherstatelegislation?

• DoesthecountyregulationviolatethespiritofChapter293orotherstatelegislation?

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LocalCommittees

Section4

LocalCommittees• PermittedpursuanttoWis.Stat.sec.293.33.• Usefultooltobringvariousunitsofgovernmentandstakeholdergroupstogether.

• FindingsdonothavetobebindingonCountyandtheultimatetermsofaLocalAgreement.

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LocalAgreements

Section5

LocalAgreements– GeneralBackground• PermittedpursuanttoWis.Stat.sec.293.41undercertaincircumstances.

• Veryuniqueregulatorytoolbecauseitpermitsmodificationorwaiverofexistingcountyzoningrequirements.

• Acountymuststillfollowthegeneralzoningstatutes(Wis.Stat.§ 59.69)whenadoptinganynewzoningordinances.

RequiredElementsofaLocalAgreement• Wis.Stat.sec.293.41(2)setsforthspecificelementsthatmustbeincludedinaLocalAgreement.

• AcountymaywishtocodifyotherelementsthatitwantsrequiredinaLocalAgreement.

• StatutoryapprovalprocessforaLocalAgreementmustbefollowed.

RequirementsofaLocalAgreement(con.)

Note:EvenwhenusingaLocalAgreementaspartofazoningordinance,thezoningordinanceshouldstillincludespecificstandards,pointsofinclusion,andotherrequiredprovisionstobesetforthinaLocalAgreement.

BenefitsofaLocalAgreement• GreaterFlexibility.• RecoveryofCosts.• OpenDialogue.• TailoredAgreement.• StreamlinedAmendmentProcess.

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OptionsforWisconsinCounties

Section6

Option1– AmendExistingOrdinances• SeveralcountieshadretainedvBRtoreview/commentonexistingordinancesinlightofJuly1,2018deadline.

• CountiesmaychoosetoamendtheexistingzoningordinancesinplacetoaddressAct134changes.– Benefit:Lessworkandfaster(maybe,givenrequiredelementsthatshouldbecontainedwhenreferencingaLocalAgreement?)

– Risk:MaynotaddressrequiredelementstopassmusterunderAct134,otherprovisionsofWis.Stat.Ch.293,NicoletMinerals,etc.

Option2– NewZoningCodeforMetallicMining• Option:Metallicminingasa“permitteduse,”butheavilyregulatedtotheextentthatordinancemaybeconstruedasaconditionaluse.– Whyisthisanimportantdistinction?

• Option:Metallicminingasaconditionaluse.• Option:WCAordinancetemplate.

Option3– New“ProhibitedUse”ZoningCode• Strategy:Acountymaybuyitselfmoretimeinpreparingacomprehensiveordinancebypassingazoningprovisionthatexplicitlyprohibitsmetallicmining.

• Benefit– Quickandbuystimepost-effectivedate(inalegalway!)

• Drawback– Shouldnotbeapermanentfix(unlessacountyissureitwillnotwantmetallicmining,evenpursuantaLocalAgreement.)

Option4– DoNothing• Acountyalwayshastheoptionofnottakinganyactiontochangeitsordinances.

• Thismaybeanattractiveoptionifacountydoesnotanticipateanymetallicminingapplications,butthereisariskassociatedwithhaving“nothing”ifandwhentheminingoperationknocksonthedoor.

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WCA’sOrdinanceTemplate

Section7

WCAOrdinanceTemplate• Whynow?

– WCA’soriginalposition:Nomodelordinancebecauseeachcounty’sconsiderationsareverydifferent.

– However,variouslegalconsiderationshavearisensincepublicationoftheHandbook.

– Byreviewingwhatsomecountieshaveelectedtoconsider,WCAcanmaximizesharedknowledgeandresources.

WCAOrdinanceTemplate– HowitisDifferent• “DualTrack”toObtainMiningPermit:– ApprovalofaConditionalUsePermit=MiningPermit

– ApprovalofaLocalAgreement=MiningPermit

• BenefitsofDualTrack:– Providesoptionsforacountytoregulateundereithermechanism,therebyprovidingflexibility,choice,andavoidrisk.

WCAOrdinanceTemplate- Considerations• Acountyshouldnotadopttheordinancetemplate“asis.”• Acountymuststillcustomizetheordinancetemplatetomakeitappropriatelyfitwithinitsexistingcountyordinances.– Allowsthoroughconsiderationofissuesparticulartoeachcounty.– Allowsdiscussionofissues,publicinput,andcustomizationofeachcounty’sordinancestoimprovethechancesoftheordinancepassing“legalmuster.”

WCAOrdinanceTemplateBenefits

Benefits:

• Comprehensiveregulationthatisin-linewithAct134,theWisconsinStatutesandcaselaw(andlookingaheadtomitigateotherlitigationrisks).

• Whileconsistentwithunderlyinglegalrequirements,shouldbe“customized”toaddresseachcounty’sparticularconsiderations.

• Draftingtimeandapprovalprocessmaybereducedbecauseframeworkiscomplete.

WCAOrdinanceTemplateBenefits(con.)

• Eliminatesduplicativeprovisionsthatare:– LikelypreemptedbyStatelaw.– Likelytobedeemedoutsideacounty’sjurisdictionandthereforeunenforceable.

– Justplainconfusing.

WCAOrdinanceTemplateDrawbacks

Drawbacks:• Potentiallylongerapprovalprocessthana“prohibiteduse”optionora“donothing”option.

• Nota“plugandplay”option.Acountyshouldstillengageintheprocessofconsideringwhatareparticularissuestothatcounty.

• Amoredetailedordinancethancountiesareusedto.

ClosingThought…**IfcountiesmakeitimpossibletoobtainametallicminingpermitbyadoptingunreasonablyrestrictiveordinancesorordinancesthatarelikelypreemptedbyStatelaw,theLegislaturemaystepinandeliminateanylocalregulationandtheabilitytohavealocalagreement.**