MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue an authorization for the “incidental taking” of a rare snake, which may result from the Covered Road Bridge Project in Ozaukee 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.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is planning to reconstruct the covered bridge and approaches of Covered Bridge Road bridge in the Town of Cedarburg.
The presence of the state endangered queensnake 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.
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.
Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the endangered species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Authorization. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the queensnake are available by visiting the DNR Incidental Take Public Notices webpage.
The public is encouraged to submit written comments regarding project-related impacts to the queensnake by Sept. 24, 2021 to:
Department of Natural Resources
c/o Stacy Rowe, DNR Conservation Biologist
101 S. Webster St. Madison, WI 53707
[email protected] or 608-228-9796
