Endangered Resources Review

The Endangered Resources Review Team uses the concepts of conservation biology and sustainable development in evaluating land planning, development, and management projects for potential impacts to rare resources. By working early in the planning phases of these projects, we strive to avoid impacts to rare and sensitive resources while considering alternatives that allow the projects to be implemented. This approach has proven that economic development and resource protection can be compatible.

What is an Endangered Resources (ER) Review?

An ER Review is a formal letter from the ER Review Program to the requestor which provides information from Wisconsin's Natural Heritage Inventory (NHI) database and other sources on rare plants and animals (including state and federally-listed species), high quality natural communities, and other endangered resources that may be impacted by the proposed project. The ER Review will also include specific recommendations to help projects comply with Wisconsin's Endangered Species Law (s. 29.604, Wis. Stats.), the Federal Endangered Species Act (exit DNR), and other laws and regulations protecting endangered resources.

How to Request an ER Review

A landowner (or other party acting on behalf of the landowner, such as an engineer or consultant) can request an ER Review of the proposed project at any time to find out if the proposed project is likely to impact endangered resources.

To request an ER Review, please submit an Endangered Resources Review Request Form and all required attachments.

When to request a ER Review

We suggest that you request review of the proposed project well in advance of when the project is scheduled to begin (e.g., one year) so that you can identify and plan for any seasonal limitations that may be imposed on the project and allow time for any field surveys that may need to be conducted during a specific time of year (e.g., during the breeding or growing season). Inclusion of a ER Review with application materials for other Department permits may help quicken and facilitate the permit review process.

Eligible Projects

ER Reviews are conducted for a wide variety of land management, development, and planning projects conducted by external (non-DNR) entities, including commercial, residential, industrial, and other types of development projects, land and habitat management efforts, and community and land use planning initiatives. The following types of projects are reviewed by other programs within the DNR:

• Energy and utility projects: Power plants, electric transmission and distribution lines, natural gas and petroleum pipelines, telecommunication lines, wind power projects, and watermain projects regulated by the Public Service Commission are reviewed for endangered resources concerns by the DNR's Office of Energy. For more information, please see their website or contact Shari Koslowsky at (608) 261-4382.
• Public transportation projects: Department of Transportation (DOT) projects and local road projects are reviewed via the DNR/DOT liaison process. Please see their website for more information.

If you have a question about where to send your project for review, please call us at 608-264-6057.

ER Review Processing and Fees

The minimum fee for an ER Review is $60, which includes up to three hours of staff time to complete the ER Review. The fee for each additional hour, or any portion thereof, of staff time required to complete the ER Review is $20 (per NR 29, Wis. Adm. Code). Please do not send payment with your ER Review Request form; you will be invoiced upon completion of the review.

ER Reviews are conducted in the order requests are received, and turnaround time varies depending on workload and staffing. Upon receipt of your ER Review Request, you will receive a confirmation email with an estimate of the turnaround time for your project.

We make every effort to provide ER Reviews to you in a prompt and timely manner. However, please be aware that you are not exempt from compliance with State and Federal Endangered Species Laws if we are not able to respond within your project’s specific timeframe. We strongly encourage ER consultation early in the project planning stage to allow adequate time to identify and address any potential impacts of your project to endangered resources.

Support for DNR Staff Conducting Endangered Resources Screening

Department staff are required to screen all projects that they conduct, fund or approve for potential impacts to endangered resources. For land management or development projects that require a permit or formal approval from a DNR program, the screening will be conducted as part of the overall DNR permitting or approval process. For example, if a proposed project requires a wetland permit under Chapter 30, Wis. Stats., the project will be reviewed by the appropriate DNR Water Management Specialist. ER Review Program staff provide technical support and assistance regarding rare species to staff in other DNR programs, and conduct reviews for complex, landscape-scale projects and projects that have no other state involvement.