Incidental Take Notice For Ozaukee County

MADISON, Wis. – The development of subdivision in Ozaukee County may result in the "incidental taking" of a rare dragonfly under a permit the 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 does not put the overall population of the species at risk.

A residential subdivision on Brandt Drive is being proposed. Seven lots ranging in size from 7 to 25 acres will be created. A shared driveway, needed to access several of the lots, will impact 6,191 square feet of wetland.

The presence of the state and federally endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana) 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 dragonflies. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has also been informed of the project.

Department staff 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 of or the habitat that is critical to its existence.

The conservation measures to minimize and mitigate the adverse effect on the endangered species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental take permit. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the Hine’s emerald dragonfly are available on the DNR’s incidental take public notice webpage or upon request from DNR conservation biologist Rori Paloski (608-264-6040 or rori.paloski@wi.gov).

Written comments regarding project-related impacts to the Hine’s emerald dragonfly are strongly encouraged. The deadline for written comments is March 14, 2021.

Please Submit Comments To:
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
C/O Rori Paloski, DNR Conservation Biologist
P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921
Or email: rori.paloski@wi.gov