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Board adopts major update to landfill rules, adjusts fees to fund staffing and IT upgrades
Summary
The board adopted WA-11-22, a broad update to NR 500–524 that modernizes landfill design, long-term care, monitoring and fee levels; the proposed rule includes phased fee implementation and new options for liners and caps.
The Natural Resources Board on Jan. 22 adopted WA-11-22, a comprehensive package of rule updates to Wisconsin Administrative Code chapters NR 500–524 that revises solid waste landfill requirements, financial responsibility, reporting requirements and associated fees.
Kate Strom, director of the Waste and Materials Management Program, told the board this was the first major update to landfill regulation and related fees since 2006. The rule incorporates 30 years of regulatory and technical experience, standardizes some items previously handled only in site-specific plans, and adds optional design choices such as alternative liners and covers while maintaining protections for groundwater, leachate and landfill gas monitoring.
Strom said the rule adjusts DNR plan-review and inspection fees and one per-ton disposal fee. The revenue changes are designed to fund faster customer service response times, additional staff (including refilling some vacant positions), IT improvements, digitization of files and public access to site maps. She noted statute requires fee reductions if year-end balances remain more than 20% of expenditures for three consecutive years.
Strom described an extensive advisory process: six technical-advisory meetings in 2023–24 with industry, landfill owners, consultants and a university representative. The department modified the rule in response to feedback — for example, reducing submittal requirements and delaying some fee increases to 2027–28 — and received endorsements from the Wisconsin chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America and the Wisconsin Utilities Association.
Board members praised staff work on the technical complexity and the collaborative process with stakeholders. Members asked how much of the fee changes will fund vacant positions; Strom said the fee lift is intended to cover assigned engineers and hydrogeologists at sites but may not cover supervisors, licensing or legal staff.
The board voted to adopt WA-11-22 as presented. Motion to adopt: Marcy West; second: Douglas Scott. Motion carried by voice vote.
