DNR: Incidental Take Notice For Buffalo And Trempealeau County

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue a permit for the incidental taking of a rare frog, which may result from the CenturyTel N.823603 Centerville project. 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.

CenturyTel of Central Wisconsin proposes to place approximately 1 mile of buried fiber optic cable within a Department of Transportation’s road right-of-way. The cable will be placed primarily with a vibratory plow and directional bore. A backhoe will be used to place new fiber hand holes and copper pedestals. A directional bore will cross the two branches of the Trempealeau River. No impacts will occur to the bed or banks of this river.

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

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.

Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect 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 Stacy Rowe, DNR Conservation Biologist, at 608-228-9796 or stacy.rowe@wisconsin.gov.

The public is encouraged to submit written or verbal comments regarding project-related impacts to the Blanchard’s cricket frog by May 13, 2021 to:

Department of Natural Resources
c/o Stacy Rowe, NH/6
101 S. Webster St. Madison, WI 53707
stacy.rowe@wisconsin.gov or 608-228-9796