Section 196.86 - Assessments for air quality improvement program(1) In this section:(a) "Department" means the department of natural resources.(b) "Electric public utility affiliate" means a public utility affiliate, as defined in s. 196.795(1) (L), that sells electricity in this state and owns electric generating facilities in the transmission area.(c) "Heat throughput ratio" means the result obtained by dividing the total heat throughput of all electric generating facilities that use fossil fuel of an individual electric public utility affiliate by the total heat throughput of all electric generating facilities that use fossil fuel of all electric public utility affiliates.(d) "Initial compliance date" means the date specified in a notice by the department of natural resources under s. 285.48(2) by which electric generating facilities in the midcontinent area of this state are required to comply with initial nitrogen oxide emission reduction requirements.(e) "Midcontinent area" has the meaning given in s. 16.958(1) (e).(f) "Transmission area" has the meaning given in s. 196.485(1) (g).(2) If the department of natural resources makes a notification to the commission under s. 285.48(2), the commission shall assess against electric public utility affiliates a total of $2,400,000, or a decreased amount specified in a notice by the department of natural resources under s. 285.48(3) (d) 3, in each fiscal year of the 10-year period that commences on July 1 of the fiscal year ending before the initial compliance date. An assessment in a fiscal year against an electric public utility affiliate under this subsection shall be in an amount that is proportionate to the electric public utility affiliate's heat throughput ratio for the prior fiscal year.(3) An electric public utility affiliate shall pay an assessment required under sub. (2) within 30 days after the commission has mailed a bill for the assessment. The bill constitutes notice of the assessment and demand of payment. Payments shall be deposited in the air quality improvement fund.(4) Section 196.85(3) to (8), as it applies to assessments under s. 196.85(1) or (2), applies to assessments under this section.