MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue a permit for the incidental taking of a rare plant, which may result from the proposed Line 5 Wisconsin Segment Relocation Project in Iron County.
Incidental take refers to the unintentional removal, transportation or carrying away of an endangered or threatened wild plant from the place where it is growing, or cutting, rooting up, severing, injuring or destroying an endangered or threatened wild plant that is incidental to the carrying out of an otherwise lawful activity that does not put the species’ overall population at risk.
Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership is proposing to replace approximately 20 miles of the existing Line 5 pipeline, including the approximate 12 miles of pipeline within the Bad River Reservation, with 41.1 miles of a new, 30-inch outside diameter pipeline segment that will be located entirely outside the exterior boundaries of the Reservation.
The presence of the state threatened Braun’s holly fern is confirmed within the project site. DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some plants.
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 threatened species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Permit. The measures, which include relocating/transplanting the identified Braun’s holly ferns from within the project area to a suitable habitat located outside the project area prior to initiating project activities, are described in detail in the jeopardy assessment. That document and background information on the Braun’s holly fern 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 for consideration when finalizing the permit regarding project-related impacts to the Braun’s holly fern by May 23, 2025 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
