Ameren will replace 16 existing wooden utility poles with 12 more reliable steel shaft poles with concrete foundations in Section 25, Township 19 North and Range 8 East in Champaign County, Illinois. The project location is a utility corridor bordered by Windsor Road to the north, Curtis Road to the south, US Highway 45 to the west and an active rail line (Canadian National) to the east. The project area is about 1 mile long and 70 feet wide. The approximate center of the project is located at latitude 40.074862 and longitude -88.247844. The steel structures are needed to improve and upgrade the Ameren system in order to gain capacity and maintain reliable electric service.
Construction activities may affect the Franklin’s Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus franklinii) (FGS). The FGS is protected under the Illinois Endangered Species Protection act and as such, the proposed construction requires consultation with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in preparation of an Incidental Taking Authorization. A Conservation Plan has been prepared for public viewing, which outlines measures to minimize and mitigate impacts to the FGS during construction. These measures include minimization of land disturbance, education program for construction personnel, installation of exclusionary fencing and other Best Management Practices, and restoration of disturbed areas to pre-construction conditions.
The Ameren contact for the Conservation Plan is Kenny Lynn, 1901 Chouteau Avenue, Mail Code 602, St. Louis, MO 63103. The Conservation Plan is available for viewing at the Champaign Public Library, 200 West Green Street, Champaign, IL 61820. Comments on the Conservation Plan should be directed to Jenny Skufca, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, 1 Natural Resources Way, Springfield, Illinois 62702 or by email (Jenny.
Skufca@Illinois.gov). The comment period closes May 19, 2014.
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