Incidental Take Notice For Monroe County

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue a permit for the incidental taking of a rare lizard and terrestrial invertebrates, which may result from the Q-100 FAA Radio Power Project in Monroe County.

Incidental take refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the species’ overall population at risk.

American Transmission Company (ATC) is proposing to install alternating current (AC) power to twenty existing steel monopole structures in five segments along approximately 1.33 miles of ATC’s existing Q-100 right-of-way.

The project includes two construction phases. The first phase involves installation of the underground cable within a 2-inch conduit for AC power, and the second phase includes aboveground work to remove the existing solar panels and batteries on the existing transmission line structures to replace the radio equipment and connect the AC power. The preferred method of underground cable installation is horizontal directional drilling, which is anticipated for the majority of the project; however, in areas of steep slopes or rock outcrops, open-cut trenching will be utilized. Minor vegetation cutting may be needed to support construction activities in select locations.

The presence of the state-endangered slender glass lizard, endangered ottoe skipper, endangered phlox moth, threatened frosted elfin and threatened prairie leafhopper are confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some lizards and terrestrial invertebrates.

The DNR concludes that the proposed project is not likely to appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival or recovery of the species within the state, the whole plant-animal community of which they are a part of or the habitat that is critical to their existence.

Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the threatened and endangered species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Permit. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the slender glass lizard, ottoe skipper, phlox moth, frosted elfin and prairie leafhopper are available by visiting the DNR Incidental Take Public Notices webpage or upon request from DNR Conservation Biologist Stacy Rowe at 608-228-9796 or Stacy.Rowe@wisconsin.gov.

The public is encouraged to submit written comments regarding project-related impacts to the slender glass lizard, ottoe skipper, phlox moth, frosted elfin and prairie leafhopper by March 29, 2025 to:

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
c/o Stacy Rowe, DNR Conservation Biologist
2514 Morse St.
Janesville, WI 53545
Stacy.Rowe@wisconsin.gov or 608-228-9796

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.