Incidental Take Notice for Dane County

MADISON, Wis. – The Nine Springs Valley Interceptor Project may result in the "incidental taking" of a rare moth under a permit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue for the project. Incidental take refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that do not put the species' overall population at risk.

The Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) proposes sanitary sewer improvements along the Military Ridge Trail and Cannonball Path in the cities of Fitchburg and Madison. The project includes constructing a new sanitary interceptor sewer and reconnecting existing local sewers and laterals.

The proposed sanitary sewer will replace an existing run of sanitary sewer. As a result of construction, various sections of existing storm sewer will be replaced. A portion of the existing MMSD ductile iron forcemain will be relayed, and a section of the City of Madison ductile iron watermain will be relayed.

The presence of the state endangered silphium borer moth has been confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some moths.

The DNR has concluded 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 or the habitat that is critical to its existence.

The conservation measures to minimize the endangered species' adverse effect will be incorporated into the proposed incidental take permit. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the silphium borer moth are available by searching the DNR website for incidental take public notice or upon request from Rori Paloski, DNR conservation biologist, at 608-264-6040 or rori.paloski@wi.gov.

The DNR is requesting comments from the public through Nov. 6, 2020 regarding project-related impacts to the silphium borer moth.

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, we request comments to be sent via email or phone to Rori Paloski at 608-264-6040 or rori.paloski@wi.gov but can also be mailed to the DNR: 101 S Webster St. P.O. Box 7921, Madison, Wisconsin 53707.