Incidental Take Notice for Jackson County
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue a permit for the incidental taking of a rare butterfly, which may result from the West Central Lateral Emergency Dig project in Jackson 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.
In Fall 2025, We Energies discovered an anomaly in a portion of the West Central Lateral Natural Gas pipeline. A dent in the pipe was determined to result from the subsequent construction of an ATV trail. The emergency dig will replace 10 feet of the damaged portion of pipe and return the line to normal operating pressure. In order to replace the impacted section and reconnect it to the system, and open pit will be dig with a combination of heavy machinery and hand tools. This work will occur within the initially disturbed footprint and similar equipment and approach. The total area of potential disturbance is 0.12 acre. The work is scheduled to be completed by end of August 2026.
The presence of the state threatened frosted elfin is confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some butterflies.
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 minimizing disturbance at the site and flagging host plants to further avoid impacts to the butterfly where feasible. The work area will also be seeded with a native mix that include the host plant for the frosted elfin.
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 frosted elfin 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 frosted elfin 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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