Incidental Take Notice for Door County
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue a permit for the incidental taking of a rare snake, which may result from the White Cliff Road Electric project in Door 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.
Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) is proposing to replace 20 overhead electric poles and associated guy lines in the Village of Egg Harbor. The project is referred to as the WPS Q-2004-100096-C90: WR 3501326 White Cliff Road Electric Project (Project). Ground disturbance within suitable wetland habitat or within 33 ft of suitable wetland habitat will consist of four pole replacements involving approximately 10 sq ft of disturbance at each pole. Total disturbances are 40 sq ft of temporary and no permanent impacts. Poles will be replaced either within the same hole or directly adjacent. If existing pole holes cannot be reused, they will be filled with dirt and allowed to revegetate naturally. The overhead electric pole replacements will be accessed from the road.
The presence of the state endangered eastern ribbonsnake is confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some snakes.
Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Permit and are detailed in the Jeopardy Assessment. They include having a permitted environmental monitor onsite to look for and if found, safely relocate snakes to suitable habitat outside the project area.
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 it is a part of or the habitat that is critical to its existence.
Copies of the Jeopardy Assessment and background information on the eastern ribbonsnake 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 eastern ribbonsnake by August 20, 2026 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.
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