Incidental Take Public Notice:

Proposed ATC Duplainville Transmission Line

MADISON, Wis. The Department of Natural Resources proposes to authorize the "incidental taking" of the state threatened Butler’s gartersnake (Thamnophis butleri) resulting from the construction of new transmission lines that will connect a new substation in Duplainville to the existing Waukesha and Sussex Substations in Waukesha County. American Transmission Company (ATC) plans to erect the transmission structures along a 9-mile corridor that will generally follow State Highway 164 and the Central Wisconsin Railroad. Work is expected to begin in late November 2004 and be completed by mid 2005.

The presence of the state-threatened Butler’s gartersnake has been confirmed in the vicinity of the project corridor, specifically in open canopy wetlands and the surrounding open canopy uplands. As a result, ATC was required to review the project corridor for potential impacts to the state-listed snake. Eleven locations may impact potential habitat for the Butler’s gartersnake. However, impacts to the snake will be avoided in 7 locations with upland habitat by limiting construction work to the winter months (November through March) when the snakes are restricted to wetland areas. The remaining 4 locations include wetland habitat and may result in the take of individual snakes. However, the wetland habitat expected to be impacted by the project represents a minor part of the total Butler’s gartersnake habitat existing at each site and the conservation value of each location is considered low to moderate.

The Department has concluded that the proposed project will minimize the impacts to the snake by adhering to conservation measures; is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence and recovery of the state population of these snakes or the whole plant-animal community of which they are a part; and has benefit to the public health, safety or welfare that justifies the action. Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the threatened species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Authorization.

Copies of the jeopardy assessment and conservation measures are available below or upon request from:

Information & Supporting Materials:
Jeopardy Assessment and Background Information [PDF 71KB]