News

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue a permit for the incidental taking of a rare snake, which may result from the Altoona 188.05 Bridge Replacement in Juneau County. 

Incidental take refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the species’ overall population at risk.

Union Pacific Railroad Company’s existing bridge structure was constructed in 1943 and is being replaced because it has reached the end of its useful life based on previous bridge inspections. Based on the recommendations in the hydrology and hydraulics analysis for the project, the existing bridge is being replaced with three 72-inch corrugated metal pipe culverts. Permanent impacts will be approximately 0.03 acres and will be limited to the immediate bridge area. Temporary impacts for staging and construction will be approximately 2.18 acres and will be restored to pre-existing contours and reseeded.

The presence of the state endangered and federally threatened eastern massasauga is confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some snakes. This permit would cover any incidental take for the state listing and would not cover any incidental take for the federal listing.

Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Permit and are detailed in the Jeopardy Assessment. They include herp exclusion fencing to keep snakes from entering the project area and removing and relocating snakes that are found in the project area by a permitted biological monitor.

The DNR concludes that the proposed project is not likely to appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival or recovery of the species within the state, the whole plant-animal community of which it is a part of or the habitat that is critical to its existence.

Copies of the Jeopardy Assessment and background information on the eastern massasauga are available by visiting the DNR Incidental Take Public Notices webpage or upon request from DNR Conservation Biologist Stacy Rowe at 608-228-9796 or Stacy.Rowe@wisconsin.gov.

The public is encouraged to submit written comments regarding project-related impacts to the eastern massasauga by April 29, 2026 to:

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

c/o Stacy Rowe, DNR Conservation Biologist

2514 Morse St. Janesville, WI 53546

Stacy.Rowe@wisconsin.gov or 608-228-9796