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The DNR Spills Program

The 24-hour hotline for reporting spill incidents is 1.800.943.0003

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How to Report Spills

All spill incidents should be reported immediately using the 24-hour toll free hotline (1.800.943.0003).

Please contact one of DNR’s Regional Spill Coordinators [PDF, 40KB] if you are not sure whether or not your situation is a spill incident.

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Spills and Other Discharges to the Environment

Wisconsin Statutes and Administrative Codes govern the reporting, investigation and cleanup that is required after a discharge of a hazardous substance to the environment. Discharges of hazardous substances generally fall into one of two broad categories:

  1. Spills - Spill incidents that need an immediate response, such as a tank truck rollover, failure of a storage tank valve or failure of a wall in a manure storage lagoon; and
  2. Discovery 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, 462KB], which includes information about how to fax or email it to DNR. Please include a summary of the laboratory data with the form. Don’t wait for a written report describing the contamination – fax or email the form, or make a phone call to a DNR regional office, immediately.

A person responsible for either type of discharge is defined by law as one who "causes", "possesses" or "controls" the contamination (e.g. owns a container that has ruptured or owns property that has contamination). These general requirements are established in s. 292.11, Wis. Stats. [exit DNR]

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Spill Law General Information

Section 292.11, Wis. Stats. [exit DNR], is also known as the "Spills Law." It requires that a person who possesses or controls a hazardous substance which is discharged or who causes the discharge of a hazardous substance shall notify the department immediately of any discharge not exempted by law. In addition, those same persons must take the actions necessary to restore the environment to the extent practicable and minimize the harmful effects from the discharge to the air, lands or waters of this state. Chapter NR706 [exit DNR], is the administrative rule that further defines notification requirements.

If a responsible party is unable or unwilling to provide adequate response, the DNR has the authority to identify, locate, monitor, contain, remove or dispose of the hazardous substance or take any other emergency action which it deems appropriate under the circumstances. In addition, the department may enter any property, premises or place at any time for the purpose of taking removal or other emergency action if the entry is necessary to prevent increased damage to the air, land or waters of the state. Notice is not required if the delay would result in imminent risk to public health, safety or the environment. The DNR can then seek cost recovery for costs incurred to providing those services.

In order to help implement this law, the DNR spills program was established to provide technical assistance and support within the agency and to those outside the agency. Each DNR region has a spill coordinator [PDF, 40KB] specifically trained to help responsible parties, response agencies and other DNR staff when a spill occurs. These same spill coordinators are also available to work with specific parties in establishing spill prevention programs. Following is a list of outreach materials available as part of the DNR spills program to help plan, prepare and prevent spills.

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Spills Fact Sheets

The following fact sheets will help you learn more about the DNR spills program:

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Spill Cleanup Highlight

To learn about other RR program successes please see the RR success stories page. The page includes a chart that links to individual sucesss stories involving the RR Program. Included is a list of assistance received for each site (e.g. funding, liability, exemptions, etc.).

Oshkosh Train Fire - October 16, 2000

On the afternoon of Saturday October 16 a citizen noticed smoke emanating from a rail car that was located on the Hydrite Chemical Companies property. The Oshkosh Fire Department and a DNR Spill Response Team immediately responded to the site. After investigation, it was concluded that the railcar contained 140,000 pounds of dry sodium hydrosulfite, a chemical used in paper making which is harmful to humans if inhaled or ingested.

A computer model was made of the projected gas plume and based on that risk, they evacuated 550 families and 75 businesses. The next day the rail car was moved into a safer area where they proceeded to accelerate the burn. By Monday evening, the majority of the burn had been treated and the evacuation zone had been reduced. After the fire was completely out, the remaining waste was removed and the equipment and area was decontaminated.

Oshkosh Train Fire Oshkosh Train Fire
Oshkosh Train Fire

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Other Agency Links

All of the following links exit the DNR web site:

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For more information on this specific page, contact:

Roxanne Chronert
920.662.5488

Last Revised: Monday June 30 2008