Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund Program
The Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Program (DERP) closed to new applicants on August 30, 2008. Those who have been accepted into the program should continue their cleanup work. This page provides information on how to undetake site investigation and cleanup under DERP.
Notice: Transfer of Money to DERF Authorized by DNR and DOA
The 2009 - 2011 State budget authorized the transfer of $6.2 million from the Environmental Improvement Fund (EIF) to the Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund (DERF). The EIF helps fund cleanup of contaminated groundwater, which is one of the goals of the DERF. The DERF, funded by dry cleaning license fees, reimburses dry cleaner owners and operators for their eligible costs for cleaning up soil and groundwater contaminated with dry cleaning chemicals. The DERF program has been very successful in promoting cleanup of dry cleaning facilities around the state (48 sites have been cleaned up and 179 sites are in the cleanup process), and as a result, the fund has run a deficit and been unable to reimburse almost $2 million in money currently owed to dry cleaners. An agreement for the transfer of the money between the two funds was signed by the Secretaries of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Administration (DOA), and became effective July 30, 2009. Dry cleaners who have been waiting for reimbursement payments can expect to see the first checks arrive before the end of August. Any questions about this should be directed to DNR's Jillian Steffes (608.266.1967).
- Program Background
- Program Information
- Application Materials
- Program Stats
- Governor's Dry Cleaners Environmental Response Council
- Links
- Additional Information, including DNR Staff Contact Information
Program Background
The Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Program (DERP) is a reimbursement program for dry cleaners for the investigation and cleanup costs of dry cleaning facilities.
This program was created in the 1997 - 1999 state budget, effective 10/14/97. This program was developed by the dry cleaning industry to cover eligible costs associated with responding to, investigating and cleaning up contamination caused by releases of dry cleaning solvents. The program is funded by a license fee for dry cleaners and a solvent fee on the sale of dry cleaning solvents. Two department bureaus, Remediation and Redevelopment and Community Financial Assistance, work in partnership to administer the program to dry cleaners.
- Chapter 292.65 [exit DNR] - the statute establishing the Dry Cleaner Enironmental Response Fund;
- NR 169 [exit DNR] - the administrative rule governing how the Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund program is implemented.
Program Information
The Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Program (DERP) closed to new applicants on August 30, 2008. Those who have been accepted into the program should continue their cleanup work.
To help understand how the Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Program works, there are a series of fact sheets available for you to look at or download:
- Information on selecting a consultant
- Program Basics (RR-749) [PDF 157KB] summarizes the Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Program.
- Bid Requirements (RR-750) [PDF 118KB] helps dry cleaners understand the bidding requirements found in Chapter NR169.
- QBS for Consultant Selection (RR-752) [PDF 108KB] helps dry cleaners understand the requirements for consultant selection under NR169.
- Prevention - Requirements to Reduce your Risk of a Release (RR-636) [PDF 121KB] highlights the pollution prevention requirements of the dry cleaner program.
- Remedial Action Bid Checklist (RR-756) [PDF 102KB] - A tool for environmental consultants to use as they prepare bids for remedial actions undertaken for the Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Program. NR 169 requires that each remedial action bid document contain specific information before the bid can be considered complete. Each bid must be complete before it can be compared to competing bids in the bid selection process. Bidders should use the checklist to determine the completeness of their bid before they submit the bid to the dry cleaner owner/operator and the DNR.
- Frequently Asked Questions (RR-784) [PDF 92KB] - This publication answers questions on the following topics: the use of change orders, cost increases to workplans, invoicing DERF costs, and establishing the payment order for reimbusement applications.
- Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund Sites Map [PDF 243KB] (updated July 2009)
Application Materials
In addition to the fact sheets listed above, a series of application forms and accompanying instructions are available for your use. Use of these forms is required to participate in the Dry Cleaning Environmental Response Program.
- DERP Reimbursement Application Instructions and Checklist (RR-751) [PDF 130KB]
- DERP Reimbursement Application (Form 4400-211) [PDF 397KB]. This form must be submitted for all costs to be reimbursed.
- DERP Site Investigation Bid Forms and Bid Summary (Form 4400-233) [ZIP 127KB]. This form is required to document all consultant selection process for site investigations that were initiated after April 19, 2004 (when the form became available for use). It summaries the minimum 3 proposals received as part of the program's bidding requirements, and provides a consistent format for submitting costs in the categories of drilling, analytical, consulting, and miscellaneous costs. Included in the Zip file are the instructions (RR-717) for filling out this form.
- DERP Interim and Remedial Bid Proposal Summary (Form 4400-212) [PDF 19KB]. This form is required to document all consultant selection process for interim and remedial actions that were initialized on or after February 1, 2000. It summarizes the minimum 3 proposals received as part of the program's bidding requirements.
- DERP Reimbursement Cost Summary (Form 4400-213) [PDF 88KB]. This form must be used to summarize clean up costs into the required program cost categories.
- DERP Reimbursement Cost Detail Worksheet (Form 4400-214) [PDF 242KB]. This form is used in conjunction with the reimbursement cost summary form to itemize the detail of clean up costs by invoice into response action types and by cost categories.
- Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund (DERF) Site Investigation Bid Cover Sheets Instructions (RR-717) [PDF 119KB] provides instructions for completing Form 4400-233.
- Substitute W-9 Taxpayer ID number Verification form (DOA-6448) [PDF 46KB]. This Department of Administration form is required to be completed for anyone who receives monies from the department.
Program Stats
- Reimbursement Requests Pending [PDF 16KB]: This spreadsheet shows all reimbursement applications that have been audited and are pending payment, or that have been submitted or not yet audited, for costs incurred since October 14, 1997.
- Current Cost Payments [PDF 70KB]: This spreadsheet shows all eligible cost that were reimbursed if they were incurred since October 14, 1997.
- Past Cost Payments [PDF 15KB]: This spreadsheet shows eligible costs that were incurred between January 1, 1991 and October 13, 1997. Costs incurred during this period are not longer accepted.
- Payments by Site [PDF 60KB]: This spreadsheet shows all payments (and pending requests) that were made at each site. The specific sites are separated by a green filled in line.
- Program Revenues [PDF 20KB]: This information illustrates all funds collected per fiscal year in each of the categories since the DERF program started. There is also a graphic showing the percentage of each category with respect to the total amount collected.
- Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund (DERF) Highlights [PDF 46KB]
Governor's Dry Cleaners Environmental Response Council
- Council Members [PDF 17KB]
- Council Statute: 15.347 Same; councils, WI Stats. [exit DNR]
Council Products
The following links are products of the Governor's Dry Cleaners Environmental Response Council, not the DNR.
- Five-Year Evaluation Letter to Governor and Legislature [PDF 11KB]
- Five-Year Report on Wisconsin' s Drycleaner Environmental Response Fund [PDF 1,812KB]
Past Meeting Minutes
Links
There are several other web sites outside of the DNR web site that may be of interest to you if you are involved with the cleanup of a dry cleaning facility:
- DNR Bureau of Cooperative Environmental Assistance - Dry Cleaning Partnership
- The Wisconsin Fabricare Institute [exit DNR]
- The EPA Technology Innovation Office [exit DNR] is sponsoring a coalition of states implementing dry cleaner cleanup programs and has a web page dedicated to that coalition. There are a number of links from that web site to a variety of dry cleaner related web sites.
- State Coalition for Remediation of Drycleaners [exit DNR] is a useful website for finding information on drycleaner/chlorinated site case studies. The State Coalition was developed in 1998 to share information on the investigation and cleanup of chlorinated/contaminated dry cleaner sites, and for sharing experiences with other states who either have or are developing state dry cleaner cleanup programs.
Additional Information
If you have questions about your dry cleaning facility or a cleanup you are involved with, you should contact your regional Remediation and Redevelopment project manager [PDF 36KB].
- If you have general questions about the fund or your application status, contact Jillian Steffes (608.266.1967), Bureau of Community Financial Assistance.
- For questions on the program history and development, contact Terry Evanson (608.266.0941) in the Bureau for Remediation and Redevelopment, or Jillian Steffes (608.266.1967) in the Bureau of Community Financial Assistance.
- For more information about the licensing requirements for drycleaners, click here for the Department of Revenue web site [exit DNR].
For more information on this specific page, contact:
Terry Evanson
608.266.0941
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