Managing Environmental Impairment
2003 - 04/10 Russell W. Wilson

Environmental issues permeate commercial and industrial real estate development and acquisition of businesses.  In addition to traditional contractual mechanisms to allocate the risk of environmental liability, there are a variety of statutory protections to encourage brownfield redevelopment.  This outline will describe mechanisms available to the stakeholders in commercial and industrial development. 

I.   LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL UNIT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LIABILITY
     PROTECTIONS.

A.      Local Governmental Units. ("LGUs")

 

LGUs may acquire contaminated properties with an exemption from liability under Wisconsin's Spill Statute.  Wis. Stat. §292.11

 

1.      LGUs are defined as:

 

a)  municipalities (i.e. counties, cities, villages, towns);

 

b)  redevelopment authority created under for blight
     elimination and slum clearance; Wis. Stat. §66.1333

 

c)  public body designated by municipality under Wis.
     Stat. §66.1337(4) for urban renewal;

 

d)  community development authority; or

 

e)  housing authority. Wis. Stat. §292.11(9)(c)

 

2.      Acquisition must occur on or after October 29, 1999:

 

a)  from tax delinquency proceedings;

© 2009 Ruder Ware, L.L.S.C. Accurate reproduction with acknowledgment granted. All rights reserved.
This document provides information of a general nature regarding legislative or other legal developments. None of the information contained herein is intended as legal advice or opinion relative to specific matters, facts, situations, or issues, and additional facts and information or future developments may affect the subjects addressed.