DCPREZ-2014-10672 - Laserfiche WebLink

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SECTION 3:SITE ECOLOGY The subject site is an agricultural property. The specific location of the proposed tower site is within a fallow field on the southern portion of the lot. Areas immediately to the north are used as active agricultural fields. The nearest water body is an unnamed tributary to Badfish Creek, located approximately three-quarters of a mile southeast of the proposed site. Woodland and agricultural properties are located between the proposed site and the unnamed tributary. Additionally,two wildlife preserve areas were identified nearby the project area-the Lund Waterfowl Production Area just south of the Dane County border,and the Bad Fish Creek Wildlife area to the northeast. Edge Consulting reviewed the U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service technical assistance website on October 20,2013,for federally-listed threatened and endangered species. According to the website,six (6)species is listed and may be present in Dane County:Whooping crane(Grus americanus), Higgins eye pearly mussel(Lamps///s h/ggins/i),Sheepnose(Plethobasus cyphyus), Eastern prairie fringed orchid Platanthera/eucophaea), Mead's milkweed(Asclep/as meadk),and Prairie bush- clover(Lespedeza leptostachya). o The habitat for the whooping crane,listed as a non-essential experimental population,is listed as open wetlands and lakeshores. This habitat is not present within or within the immediate vicinity of the proposed project area. o Higgins'eye pearly mussel(endangered)and sheepnose(proposed as endangered) are listed for generic rivers,the lower Wisconsin River,and the Mississippi River-no impacts to any water bodies will occur as part of the proposed undertaking and therefore no impacts to either species will occur. o The habitat for the eastern prairie fringed orchid is listed as wet grasslands. No signs of wet grasslands were observed within the proposed project area or surrounding area, and no wet grasslands will be excavated or impacted for this project. Additionally,no evidence of this species was observed. o Mead's milkweed(threatened)natural habitat is listed as upland tallgrass prairie or glade/barren habitat. A note in the file indicates that all the Mead's milkweed sites in Wisconsin are reintroduction attempts and occur on protected conservation lands. Neither the described habitat nor conservation lands are located within the project site or immediate surrounding vicinity. No impacts to this species are anticipated. o Prairie bush clover: habitat listed as dry to mesic prairies with gravelly soil. The described habitat is not present within the project area. Edge Consulting concludes that the project as proposed will have NO EFFECT on Whooping crane(Grus amer/canus), Higgins eye pearly mussel(Lamps///s h/gg/ns/i),Sheepnose(Plethobasus cyphyus), Eastern prairie fringed orchid Platanthera/eucophaea), Mead's milkweed(Asclep/as mead/i),and Prairie bush-clover(Lespedeza/eptostachya),for the reason that no suitable habitat is present. SECTION 4:MIGRATORY BIRD MITIGATION MEASURES The proposed tower is to be 488 feet in height and will require the use of guy-wires. Further review is required in order to fulfill Section 7 consultation,as impacts to migratory birds have been shown to significantly increase with towers over 200 feet in height and those using guy-wires. In an effort to minimize the potential impacts to migratory birds in the area,the following four factors were considered: 1.Reduce the tower height to under 200 feet 5080 FWS Ltr Submiftal_Guy Wires 2 of 3