Incidental Take Notice For La Crosse County

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue a permit for the incidental taking of a rare frog, Blanchard’s cricket frog, which may result from the W3411 Ground Wire and Structure Replacement in La Crosse 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.

Xcel Energy proposes to perform maintenance on Xcel Energy’s (Xcel) existing single-circuit W3411 Line from the Monroe County Substation to structure 26 near the La Crosse Substation. The project is approximately 27 miles long and includes installing static wire containing optical ground wire and replacing select structures. Work will be performed in three phases; however, Phase 3 is the only phase within Blanchard’s cricket frog habitat. Phase 3 will take place from the West Salem substation to structure 29 near the La Crosse substation and will be completed in January 2026 to March 2026.

The presence of the state-endangered Blanchard’s cricket frog is confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. Wisconsin DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some frogs.

The Wisconsin DNR concludes that the proposed project will minimize the impacts to the species by adhering to conservation measures; is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence and recovery of the state population of the species or the whole plant-animal community of which it is a part; and has benefit to the public health, safety or welfare that justifies the action.

Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effects on the endangered species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Permit. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the Blanchard’s cricket frog are available by visiting the DNR Incidental Take Public Notices webpage or upon request from Wisconsin DNR conservation biologist Rori Paloski at Rori.Paloski@wisconsin.gov or 608-516-3742.

The public is encouraged to submit written comments regarding project-related impacts to the Blanchard’s cricket frog by Aug. 31, 2025, to:

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
c/o Rori Paloski, DNR Conservation Biologist
101 S. Webster St. Madison, WI 53707
Rori.Paloski@wisconsin.gov or 608-516-3742

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.