Air pollution control; department duties
Wis. Stat. § 285.11
in effectThe department shall:
(1) Promulgate rules implementing and consistent with this chapter and s. 299.15.
(2) Encourage voluntary cooperation by persons and affected groups to achieve the purposes of this chapter and s. 299.15.
(3) Encourage local units of government to handle air pollution problems within their respective jurisdictions and on a regional basis, and provide technical and consultative assistance for that purpose.
(4) Collect and disseminate information and conduct educational and training programs relating to the purposes of this chapter and s. 299.15.
(5) Organize a comprehensive and integrated program to enhance the quality, management and protection of the state’s air resources.
(6) Prepare and develop one or more comprehensive plans for the prevention, abatement and control of air pollution in this state. The department thereafter shall be responsible for the revision and implementation of the plans. The rules or control strategies submitted to the federal environmental protection agency under the federal clean air act for control of atmospheric ozone shall conform with the federal clean air act unless, based on the recommendation of the natural resources board or the head of the department, as defined in s. 15.01 (8), of any other department, as defined in s. 15.01 (5), that promulgates a rule or establishes a control strategy, the governor determines that measures beyond those required by the federal clean air act meet any of the following criteria:
(a) The measures are part of an interstate ozone control strategy implementation agreement under s. 285.15 signed by the governor of this state and of the state of Illinois.
(b) The measures are necessary in order to comply with the percentage reductions specified in 42 USC 7511a (b) (1) (A) or (c) (2) (B).
(7) Conduct or direct studies, investigations and research relating to air contamination and air pollution and their causes, effects, prevention, abatement and control and, by means of field studies and sampling, determine the degree of air contamination and air pollution throughout the state.
(8) Consult, upon request, with any person proposing to construct, install, or otherwise acquire an air contaminant source, device or system for the control thereof, concerning the efficacy of such device or system, or the air pollution problem which may be related to the source, device or system. Nothing in any such consultation shall relieve any person from compliance with this chapter or rules pursuant thereto, or any other provision of law.
(9) Prepare and adopt minimum standards for the emission of mercury compounds or metallic mercury into the air, consistent with s. 285.27 (2) (b).
(10) Specify the best available control technology on an individual case-by-case basis considering energy, economic and environmental impacts and other costs related to the source.
(11) Coordinate the reporting requirements under ss. 285.65 and 299.15 in order to minimize duplicative reporting requirements.
(12) Prepare an annual report which states the total nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emissions from all stationary sources in this state. This report may be combined with other reports published by the department.
(13) If federal legislation is enacted that establishes sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide controls for the purpose of reducing acid deposition, prepare a report, in consultation with the public service commission, this state’s electric utilities, industries and environmental groups, recommending ways to coordinate state law with federal law. The department, after holding a public hearing on the report, shall submit the report to the governor and the chief clerk of each house of the legislature, for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3), within 6 months after the enactment of the federal legislation.
(14) Promulgate by rule the actions or events which constitute the reconstruction of a major source.
(15) Promulgate by rule the actions or events which constitute the shutdown of a facility.
(16) Promulgate rules, consistent with but no more restrictive than the federal clean air act, that specify the amounts of emissions that result in a stationary source being classified as a major source and that may limit the classification of a major source to specified categories of stationary sources and to specific air contaminants.
(17) Promulgate rules, consistent with the federal clean air act, that modify the meaning of the term “modification” as it relates to specified categories of stationary sources, to specific air contaminants and to amounts of emissions or increases in emissions.
(18) Adopt and apply objective performance measurements, for the subunit of the department that administers this chapter, relating to the issuance of permits under subch. VII and to overall performance of the subunit.
(19) Annually, contact the owners or operators of stationary sources that have operation permits under s. 285.60 and that are not required to have operation permits under the federal clean air act to inform the owners and operators of the benefits of obtaining a registration permit or an exemption under s. 285.60.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/285.11Fetched: 10/7/2026