The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is on the precipice of issuing a permit to Xcel Energy — an action that, though arguably routine in the utility maintenance world, finds itself in the precarious dance with the cycle of life and death of the Blanchard’s cricket frog, a state-endangered species. The DNR, acknowledging the species' confirmed presence near the upcoming optical ground wire and structure replacement projects in Trempealeau County, has laid out a plan that both accommodates human progress and nods at ecological preservation.
According to the DNR's notice, the maintenance work by Xcel will span from January through March 2026, addressing the existing W3434 and W3458 lines from the Marshland Substation to the Galesville SS; this project is not a sprawling enterprise by any measure, but one that extends close to 12 miles and involves static wire and structure upgrades. Without the intent to widen or realign the current right-of-way corridor, the work still demands a handful of temporary spaces for splices, wire pulls, and the sundry necessities of infrastructure improvements and one laydown yard will serve the project's demands and what this all means for the diminutive amphibian has been a matter of scrutiny.
The matter at hand — incidental take — is a term that sounds innocuous or even accidental, but it carries weight in the spheres of conservation biology and environmental legislation. It signifies the unintentional loss of individuals from endangered or threatened populations which, in the grand scheme of things, is not projected to threaten the cricket frog's chance at survival, at least from the DNR's standpoint. "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," states the department's assessment, as laid out in the public notice.
Nevertheless, DNR has prescribed conservation measures tailored to mitigate negative impacts on the Blanchard’s cricket frog population, measures which will be integrated into the forthcoming Incidental Take Permit. The DNR encourages discourse and feedback from the public regarding the implications of this project for the rare frog, with a window open for comments until Nov. 1, 2025; those keen to lend their voice can visit the DNR Incidental Take Public Notices webpage or contact conservation biologist Stacy Rowe directly at [email protected] or 608-228-9796. On the topic, further information including the jeopardy assessment and details on the endangered Blanchard’s cricket frog can be accessed either online or upon request.
