Assembly Bill 627
Trading of water pollution credits, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation
Topics: Natural Resources, Department of: Environmental protection, Water: Pollution
Stopped before the full Assembly voted
The recommended passing it, but the full Assembly never voted on it. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Feb 24, 2012
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The full Assembly never voted on it.
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Senate vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2012: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
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Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Generally, under current law, a person may not discharge pollutants into the waters of this state from a point source (such as a pipe) without a permit from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that specifies limits on the discharge of water pollutants. Current law requires DNR to administer at least one pilot project to evaluate the trading of water pollution credits. Under a pilot project, a person who is required to obtain a water pollution permit may be authorized to discharge more pollutants than would otherwise be allowed if the person reaches an agreement under which another person agrees to reduce the amount of water pollution that the other person causes or if the person reaches an agreement to provide money that DNR or a local government uses to reduce water pollution.
This bill requires DNR to administer a program, rather than at least one pilot project, for the trading of water pollution credits. In addition to providing for agreements as under current law, the bill provides that DNR may authorize a person who is required to obtain two water pollution permits to discharge more pollutants than would otherwise be allowed under one permit if the person agrees to reduce the amount of water pollution below what would otherwise be allowed under the second permit. The bill also provides that DNR may authorize a person to discharge more pollutants than would otherwise be allowed if the person agrees to construct a project or implement a plan that results in reducing water pollution from sources other than the permitted source.
Read the full summary Show less
Under current law and under the bill, a water pollution credit trading agreement is only allowed if it results in an improvement in water quality and if the increase and the reduction involve the same pollutant or the same water quality standard. Under current law, a water pollution trading project may only be conducted within a project area that meets specified criteria. This bill eliminates the requirement concerning a project area, but requires that the increase and the reduction in pollution occur within the same water basin or portion of a water basin, as determined by DNR. Under current law, the term of a water pollution trading agreement may not exceed five years. This bill eliminates the restriction on the term of an agreement. Both current law and the bill require that trading of water pollution credits be conducted in accordance with the federal Water Pollution Control Act.
Who's behind it
4 representatives are its . All 4 are Republicans.
See all 4 names Hide the names
Authors (4)
- Mike Endsley · Republican, Assembly
- Joe Knilans · Republican, Assembly
- Daniel LeMahieu · Republican, Assembly
- Richard Spanbauer · Republican, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Natural Resources vote to recommend it
Passed, 16 to 0 · Mar 9, 2012
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report passage recommended by committee on Natural Resources, Ayes 16, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Mar 23, 2012
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Mar 9, 2012
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Mar 9, 2012
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 16 to 0.
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Mar 7, 2012
The committee held a public hearing.
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Mar 6, 2012
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 24, 2012
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources.
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Feb 24, 2012
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 24, 2012 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Knilans, Endsley, Spanbauer and LeMahieu
- Feb 24, 2012 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Natural Resources
- Mar 6, 2012 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 7, 2012 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Mar 7, 2012 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Mar 9, 2012 · Assembly
Report passage recommended by committee on Natural Resources, Ayes 16, Noes 0
- Mar 9, 2012 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Mar 23, 2012 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary
From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote