Section 13.489. Transportation projects commission.

 

(1c)   Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Environmental assessment" means an analysis of a proposed action to determine whether the proposed action constitutes a major action significantly affecting the human environment under s. 1.11 (2) (c) .

(b) “Environmental impact statement" means a detailed statement required under s. 1.11 (2) (c) .

(c) “Major highway project" has the meaning given in s. 84.013 (1) (a) .

(1g)   Creation. There is created a transportation projects commission consisting of the governor, 3 citizen members appointed by the governor to serve at his or her pleasure, and 5 senators and 5 representatives to the assembly appointed as are the members of standing committees in their respective houses. Of the members from each house, 3 shall be chosen from the majority party and 2 shall be chosen from the minority party. The secretary of transportation shall serve as a nonvoting member. The governor shall serve as chairperson. Citizen members of the commission shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred as members of the commission from the appropriation under s. 20.395 (4) (aq) .

(1m)   Approval of commission required for study of potential major highway projects.

(b) Not later than October 15 of each odd-numbered year, the department of transportation shall provide to the commission a list of potential major highway projects that the department has initially determined may be recommended under par. (c) for approval to prepare an environmental impact statement or an environmental assessment and a list of potential major highway projects that could be studied for possible recommendation under sub. (4) . The commission may conduct public hearings on potential major highway projects identified by the department of transportation or by the commission.

(c) Not later than March 15 of each even-numbered year, the department of transportation shall report to the commission those potential major highway projects that the department recommends be approved by the commission for preparation of an environmental impact statement or an environmental assessment.

(d) Not later than April 15 of each even-numbered year, the commission shall notify the department of those potential major highway projects that the commission approves for preparation of an environmental impact statement or an environmental assessment or shall notify the department that it does not approve any potential major highway projects for preparation of an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment.

(e) The department of transportation may not prepare an environmental impact statement or an environmental assessment for a potential major highway project unless the commission notifies the department under par. (d) that the project is approved.

(f) This subsection does not apply to major highway projects described in s. 84.013 (1) (a) 2m.

(2)   Department to report proposed projects. Subject to s. 85.05 , the department of transportation shall report to the commission not later than September 15 of each even-numbered year and at such other times as required under s. 84.013 (6) concerning its recommendations for adjustments in the major highway projects program under s. 84.013 .

(3)   Assistance to commission. The department of transportation shall assist the commission in the performance of its duties. The department of transportation shall, when requested by the commission, make or cause to be made such studies and cost estimates with respect to any proposed project as are necessary to permit the commission to consider the project. The costs of such studies shall be charged to the appropriate program appropriation under s. 20.395 .

(4)   Review of projects.

(a)

1. All reports submitted as provided by sub. (2) shall be reviewed by the commission. The commission shall report its recommendations concerning major highway projects to the governor or governor-elect, the legislature and the joint committee on finance no later than December 15 of each even-numbered year or within 30 days following submission of a report under s. 84.013 (6) . The commission may recommend approval, approval with modifications, or disapproval of any project, except that the commission may not recommend the approval, with or without modifications, of any project unless any of the following applies:

a. The commission determines that, within 6 years after the first July 1 after the date on which the commission recommends approval of the project, construction will be commenced on all projects enumerated under s. 84.013 (3) and on the project recommended for approval and the commission has been notified that a final environmental impact statement or environmental assessment for the project has been approved by the federal highway administration.

b. The report recommending approval of the project is accompanied by a financing proposal that, if implemented, would provide funding in an amount sufficient to ensure that construction will commence on all projects enumerated under s. 84.013 (3) and on the project within 6 years after the first July 1 after the date on which the commission recommends approval of the project and the commission has been notified that a final environmental impact statement or environmental assessment for the project has been approved by the federal highway administration.

2. In determining the commencement date for projects under subd. 1. a. and b. , the commission shall assume that the appropriation amounts under s. 20.395 (3) (bq) to (bx) for the current fiscal year will be adjusted annually to reflect adjustments to the U.S. consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, as determined by the U.S. department of labor.

(b) The commission may include in the report in par. (a) its designation of highway improvement projects under s. 84.013 (6m) as major highway projects.

(c) No project may be enumerated under s. 84.013 (3) or approved under s. 84.013 (6) unless the commission recommends approval, with or without modifications, of the project under par. (a) or, with respect to a project under s. 84.013 (6m) , designates the project under par. (b) .

(d) This subsection does not apply to major highway projects described in s. 84.013 (1) (a) 2m.

(4m)   Review of high-cost major highway projects.

(a) Notwithstanding sub. (4) , for any major highway project described in s. 84.013 (1) (a) 2m. , the department of transportation shall submit a report to the commission, prior to construction of the project, which report may request the commission's approval to proceed with the project. The department may submit this request at any time following completion by the department of a draft environmental impact statement or environmental assessment for the project.

(b) After receiving a request under par. (a) for approval to proceed with a major highway project described in s. 84.013 , the commission shall meet to approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove the request. The department may implement the request only as approved by the commission, including approval after modification by the commission.

(c) The department of transportation may not proceed with construction of a major highway project described in s. 84.013 (1) (a) 2m. unless the project is approved by the commission as provided in par. (b) .

(d) The procedures specified in this subsection shall apply to all major highway projects described in s. 84.013 (1) (a) 2m. in lieu of the procedures described in sub. (4) .

(5)   Department to report project status and costs.

(a) By February 1, 2005, and every 6 months thereafter, the department of transportation shall submit a report to the commission that does all of the following:

1. Summarizes the current status of each project submitted by the department that is under consideration by the commission under s. 13.489 , including any project approved by the commission under sub. (1m) (d) , and of each project enumerated under s. 84.013 (3) or 84.0145 (3) (b) or approved under s. 84.013 (6) .

2. For each project specified under subd. 1. , identifies all actual and estimated project costs, itemized by major cost categories, as of the date of preparation of the report. To the extent feasible, the department shall separately track and report the costs of environmental assessments, compliance, and mitigation.

(b) All project information included in any report required under par. (a) shall be reported on both a cumulative basis from the inception of the project and on an updated basis for the period since the department's last report under this subsection.

(c) With the report submitted under par. (a) , by February 1 of each year, the department of transportation shall include a current project schedule for all projects enumerated under s. 84.013 (3) or approved under s. 84.013 (6) , showing the annual funding required until completion for each project.

(6)   Department to make information available. Notwithstanding s. 19.35 , the department of transportation shall make all of the following information available to the public, including making the information available at no charge on the department's Internet site, within the following time periods:

(a) Any report prepared by the department for the commission under sub. (5) shall be available within 5 business days of the report's completion and transmittal to the commission.

(b) Any materials or documents prepared by the department, except the department's recommendations, for use at a meeting of the commission shall be available at least 2 business days prior to the meeting.

(c) Any other information directed by the commission to be made available by the department under this subsection shall be available within the time specified by the commission.

1983 a. 27 ; 1985 a. 2 ; 1985 a. 29 ss. 27 to 29 , 3202 (51) ; 1987 a. 27 ; 1993 a. 16 ; 1997 a. 27 , 86 ; 1999 a. 9 ; 2003 a. 217 ; 2007 a. 20 ; 2011 a. 32 ; 2015 a. 55 , 196 .