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Statewide incidental take needs comments

The Wisconsin DNR proposes to issue a Broad Incidental Take Permit/Authorization (BITP/A) for the incidental taking of state endangered and threatened species, that may occur as a result of surveys, removals and propagation, that are required for regulatory purposes.

In this situation, incidental taking refers to the pursuit and catching of animals, for the purposes of surveys and removals, as well as the removal and propagation of plants at a construction site.

The DNR recognizes that surveys, removals and propagation are often required for regulatory projects, to minimize impacts to endangered and threatened species. Because these activities occur regularly with identical conservation measures, the DNR proposes issuing this BITP/A.

An Incidental Take Permit/Authorization is typically issued on a project-by-project basis; however, a BITP/A is used for projects that occur routinely on the landscape and have identical conservation measures.

The DNR concludes that the proposed work will minimize impacts to the species by adhering to conservation measures, is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence or appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival, and/or recovery of the state population of the species, or the whole plant-animal community, of which they are a part and the habitat that is critical to their existence, and has benefit to the public health, safety or welfare that justifies the action.

Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the endangered and threatened species will be incorporated into the proposed Regulatory Removals Broad Incidental Take Permit/Authorization. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the species are available upon request, by emailing Rori.Paloski@wi.gov.

The public is encouraged to submit written comments regarding this proposed BITP/A by Dec. 16, to: Department of Natural Resources, c/o Rori Paloski, DNR Conservation Biologist, 101 S. Webster St., Madison, WI 53707.

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