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How Wisconsin's Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) Wants to Receive Environmental Violation Data

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Residents of Wisconsin seeking to file incident reports or complaints relating to environmental violations are directed to an array of options within the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) website (http://dnr.wi.gov/). If a spill or violation requires immediate assistance, "the Emergency hotline number to call is: 1-800-943-0003." "The DNR's Violation Hotline provides Wisconsin citizens with the opportunity to confidentially report non-emergency suspected wildlife, recreational and environmental violations using a toll free number: Call or text 1-800-847-9367. These violations may include fishing or hunting out of season, night hunting, exceeding bag limits, illegal sale of fish and wildlife, deposit of harmful substances in lakes or rivers or illegal storage or disposal of hazardous waste. All these violations seriously affect our state's natural resources. The Violation Hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Information received on this line will be relayed to a DNR officer for investigation. You do not have to leave your name when reporting a violation. However, it is often helpful to an investigation if a DNR Law Enforcement Officer can follow-up on your report to verify essential facts and let you know the outcome of the investigation. If provided, your identity and any information that may identify you will be protected under state statute 23.38."

Since the Tab labeled "Spill Reporting Requirements" now leads to the message: "Page Not Found: The Web page that you are looking for is no longer on the server," the following summary of procedures for reporting incidents and registering complaints was derived from a review of the Wisconsin DNR Website. [Photo Credit: onlyinyourstate.com] How to Report a Spill: For hazardous substance spills that require an immediate response: "These can include a tank truck rollover, failure of a storage tank valve or failure of a wall in a manure storage lagoon. Call the 24-hour spill hotline at 1-800-943-0003." "Discovery of Spills Through Analysis - Soil or groundwater contamination that is discovered via sampling. The best way to report discovery of a discharge that is identified through analysis of soil or water is to use DNR's Notification For Hazardous Substance Discharge (Non-Emergency Only) (Form 4400-225) [PDF]. This form includes information about how to fax or email the form to DNR. Please include a summary of the laboratory data with the form. Don't wait for a written report describing the contamination – immediately fax or email the form, or make a phone call to a DNR regional office, immediately."

DNR Region Contact Person Telephone Number Northern John Sager 715-392-7822 Northeast Rick Joslin 920-662-5165 South Central Mike Schmoller 608-275-3303 Southeast Trevor Nobile 414-263-8524 West Central Pat Collins 715-684-2914 Ext. 117

FAX & EMAIL CONTACT: Northeast Region (FAX: 920-662-5413); Attention -- R&R Program Associate: DNRRRNER@wisconsin.gov Brown, Calumet, Door, Fond du Lac (except City of Waupun - see South Central Region), Green Lake, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Sheboygan, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago counties

Northern Region (FAX: 715-623-6773); Attention -- R&R Program Associate: DNRRRNOR@wisconsin.gov Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Forest, Florence, Iron, Langlade, Lincoln, Oneida, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, Vilas, Washburn counties

South Central Region (FAX: 608-273-5610); Attention -- R&R Program Associate: DNRRRSCR@wisconsin.gov Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac (City of Waupun only), Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Walworth counties

Southeast Region (FAX: 414-263-8550); Attention -- R&R Program Associate: DNRRRSER@wisconsin.gov Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Washington, Waukesha counties

West Central Region (FAX: 715-839-6076); Attention -- R&R Program Associate: DNRRRWCR@wisconsin.gov Adams, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Crawford, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Juneau, LaCrosse, Marathon, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Portage, St. Croix, Trempealeau, Vernon, Wood counties

"It is not the Department’s intention to use any personally identifiable information from this form for any purpose other than program administration. However, information submitted on this form may also be made available to requesters under Wisconsin’s Open Records Law (ss. 19.31 – 19.39, Wis. Stats.). Confirmatory laboratory data should be included with this form, to assist the DNR in processing this Hazardous Substance Release Notification. Report a Violation Call or text 1-800-847-9367 Submit a violation report online "Helpful information when reporting a violation: Who is the violator? Describe the people, including their physical description and clothing What is the violation? Where did this violation take place? (county, township, road/highway) When did this occur or is this an in progress violation?

Helpful information when reporting a violation that is discovered via social media Where did the post, picture, video, or information originate from? Include the URL encoding? Include only one post, picture or video per complaint? What is the suspected violation? What information exists that show the potential violation occurred in Wisconsin?"

The specific location of the hazardous substance release should be identified, as well as the type of substance, if known or suspected, such as "VOCs, PCE, TCE, Chlorinated Diesel Fuel Oil, Gasoline Hydraulic Oil Jet Fuel, Mineral Oil Waste, Oil Petroleum-Unknown Type, PAHs, PCBs, Cyanide, Leachate, Manure, Metals, Arsenic, Chromium, Lead, Other: Unknown Pesticides: Fertilizer: RCRA Hazardous Waste: Other."

Additional items that can be checked on the Form: "Air Contamination Co-mingled (Petroleum & Non-Petroleum), Contamination in Fractured Bedrock, Contamination Within 1 Meter of Bedrock, Contaminated Private Well, Contaminated Public Well, Contamination in Right of Way"

"Impacts to the Environment Information: Fire, Explosion, Threat Free Product, Groundwater Contamination, Off-Site Contamination, Sanitary Sewer Contamination, Storm Sewer Contamination, Sediment Contamination, Soil Contamination, Soil Gas Contamination, Sub-slab Vapor Contamination, Surface Water Contamination Within 100 ft of Private Well, Within 1000 ft of Public Well." " Federal reporting requirements: A responsible party may also have to comply with other state and/or federal reporting requirements relating to the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) or the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). To report a spill, contact the The Federal Government National Response Center [exit DNR] (800-424-8802). To determine if you have a reportable spill, please check EPA's Consolidated Lists of Lists [exit DNR]. Last revised: Thursday March 16 2017"