Incidental Take Public Notice:

Proposed Port Washington - Rangeline Transmission Line Rebuild

Proposed Incidental Take Authorization for Port Washington - Rangeline Reconductor and Partial Rebuild, American Transmission Company, Milwaukee and Ozaukee Counties, Wisconsin.

The Department of Natural Resources proposes to authorize the "incidental taking" of the state threatened Butler's gartersnake (Thamnophis butleri) resulting from the partial rebuild of an transmission line between Port Washington Substation in Ozaukee County and the Rangeline Substation located in northwest Milwaukee County.

American Transmission Company (ATC) plans to replace conductors, shield wire, and support hardware along the existing 21.2 mile transmission line between the existing Port Washington Substation (located adjacent to We Energies Port Washington Generating Station) and the existing Rangeline Substation (located south of Mill Road at Rangeline Road in the City of Glendale). A total of 44 new tubular steel structures will replace existing lattice tower structures, representing approximately 25 percent of the total towers within the line.

The corridor includes mostly upland habitat with some wetland areas. The presence of the state-threatened Butler's gartersnake has been confirmed in the vicinity of the southern portions of the project site, specifically in open canopy wetlands and the surrounding open canopy uplands. Impacts to the snake have been minimized by eliminating construction work to the winter months (November through March) when the snakes are restricted to wetland areas. Only one of the replacement towers will be placed in existing wetlands, although other wetlands may be impacted due to access requirements for existing structures. However, the wetland habitat expected to be impacted by the project represents a minor part of the total Butler's gartersnake habitat existing throughout the corridor. The habitat disturbed as a result of the project is expected to return to its existing condition within one or two growing seasons.

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.

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

Information & Supporting Materials:
Jeopardy Assessment for the Butler's Gartersnake [PDF 73KB]