SB 421

Under

2025 Act 15

, the biennial budget bill, the Joint Committee on Finance was appropriated $42,000,000 to supplement an appropriation to the Department of Natural Resources for providing financial assistance for the modernization of a dam on the Wisconsin River in the village of Rothschild.

This bill requires DNR to provide $42,000,000 to Domtar Paper Company, LLC, (Domtar) for modernization of a dam associated with the company’s mill in the village of Rothschild. The bill provides that, if Domtar does not commence the dam modernization project by December 31, 2026, it must return to the state the full amount of the financial assistance Domtar received from the state. The bill also provides that, if Domtar sells either its mill in the village of Rothschild or its mill in the city of Nekoosa prior to the completion of the dam modernization project, Domtar must return to the state any unexpended amount of the financial assistance Domtar received from the state.

The bill also provides that, if the total amount of financial assistance for the dam modernization project that Domtar receives from all sources exceeds two-thirds of the cost of the project, Domtar must return to the state the difference between two-thirds of the cost of the project and the total amount of financial assistance Domtar received for the project.

Finally, the bill also provides that Domtar must agree to invest a total of $100,000,000 in north central Wisconsin via its manufacturing facilities in the village of Rothschild and the city of Nekoosa within three years and to use roundwood and wood chips only from Wisconsin producers to produce products at its facilities in the village of Rothschild. If Domtar fails to comply with either requirement, they must return to the state the full amount of financial assistance Domtar received from the state.