DCPREZ-2014-10672 - Laserfiche WebLink

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2.1 FACILITIES LOCATED IN AN OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED WILDERNESS AREA In order to identify the possibility of the facility to be located in a designed wilderness area,the following steps were taken by Edge Consulting: 1.) Readily available information was reviewed from the National Park Service(NPS) for the area around the project. The site is not located within any national parks or nationally designated wilderness areas. 2.) Readily available information was reviewed from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources(WDNR)for the area around the project. No state designated parks,trails or forests were identified within the proposed project area. It is the opinion of Edge Consulting that this project is not located in an officially designated wilderness area. 2.2 FACILITIES LOCATED IN A DESIGNATED WILDERNESS PRESERVE Edge Consulting utilized the same documentation process described above,under Wilderness Area,to determine if the site is located in a designated wilderness preserve. It is the opinion of Edge Consulting that this project is not located in a designated wilderness preserve. 2.3 FACILITIES WHICH MAY AFFECT THREATENED OR ENDANGERED SPECIES OR DESIGNATED CRITICAL HABITATS;OR ARE LIKELY TO JEOPARDIZE THE CONTINUED EXISTENCE OF ANY PROPOSED ENDANGERED OR THREATENED SPECIES OR LIKELY TO RESULT IN THE DESTRUCTION OR ADVERSE MODIFICATION OF PROPOSED CRITICAL HABITATS,AS DETERMINED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR PURSUANT TO THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OF 1973 To identify the potential for the facility to affect threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitats, Edge Consulting took the following steps: 1.) Initially, Edge Consulting determined the proposed project would have No Effect on federally-listed threatened or endangered species or critical habitat. Correspondence with the United States Department of Interior,Fish&Wildlife Service(FWS)was not required by FWS policy for No Effect determinations. Since 2011,towers with guy wires are required to be submitted for review. On November 13,2013,a letter was submitted for review. The US FWS response stated,"Due to the project location,we concur with your determination that no federal-listed, proposed,or candidate species would be expected with the project area. No critical habitat is present. This precludes the need for further action on this project as required by the 1973 Endangered Species Act,as amended." The letter also asked to be contacted if the tower could not be lowered to less than 200 feet. Edge Consulting submitted a follow up letter dated December 9,2013,indicating a reduction in tower height not being possible. A copy of this documentation is included in Appendix B. Although not specifically required by state or federal endangered species laws,to reduce the risk of tower to migratory birds, it is recommended that all newly constructed towers should conform to the USFWS Guidelines found at http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/CurrentBirdlssues/Hazards/towers/comtow.html 5080 NEPA-Update -2-