MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue a permit for the incidental taking of a rare dragonfly, which may result from the Y47/Y145 Transmission Line Geotechnical Soil Borings.
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’s project consists of rebuilding the 69kV Y-47 (Castle Rock Substation – McKenna Substation) and the 69kV Y-145 (McKenna Substation – Lincoln Pumping Station Substation) transmission lines. Impacts to the incurvate emerald dragonfly are only anticipated along portions of Y-47, within wetlands associated with the DNR Quincy Bluff and Wetlands State Natural Area. Therefore, the remainder of the Conservation Plan focuses on the Y-47 line portion of the project. The Y-47 portion of the project requires the rebuilding of the approximately 8.5-mile existing transmission line.
This Incidental Take Permit will only cover geotechnical soil borings associated with the project. The transmission line rebuild and follow-up vegetation management associated with the project will be covered under a separate Incidental Take Permit, if necessary.
Geotechnical soil borings within the Y-47 portion of the project will consist of examining the soil (or bedrock) profile at random locations along the project route. Information obtained during the investigations is used to assist engineers in determining the design and embedment depth of replacement structures. Soil borings can be completed using a number of different methods, including auger boring, rotary wash boring, rock coring, rock probe, and/or marsh probe.
The typical right of way (ROW) width of the Y-47 line portion of the project is 80 feet. Much of the project will be located within existing transmission line or existing highway ROW. Off-ROW access to avoid wetland impacts is anticipated along the project route. Although a portion of the proposed off-ROW access trails may travel through disturbed wetland areas, these planned points of access will generally follow existing two-tracks.
The presence of the state endangered incurvate emerald is confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some dragonflies.
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 incurvate emerald 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 incurvate emerald by March 24, 2023 to:
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
