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Post-Act134• Whathaschanged?• “10-YearRule”repealed.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