Compatibility Determination for the Upper Mississippi

Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge

La Crosse District
N5727 County Road Z
Onalaska, WI 54650

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Cheryl Groom, 608-779-2386
November 7, 2023
Compatibility Determination for the Upper Mississippi

River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge

A draft compatibility determination which evaluates the compatibility of a renewal of an
existing utility right-of-way on the La Crosse District of Upper Mississippi River National
Wildlife and Fish Refuge (UMRNWFR) is available for public comment. The U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (FWS) desires to learn of public interests in the utility renewal.
Xcel Energy, a generation and transmission company headquartered in Minneapolis, MN,
has applied for renewal of the right-of-way for an electrical line in Houston County, MN
and La Crosse County, WI. The line is located between La Crescent, MN and French
Island in La Crosse, WI. The public is encouraged to contact Deputy District Manager,
Cheryl Groom, 608-779-2386, cheryl_groom@fws.gov, N5727 County Road Z, Onalaska,
WI with comments and concerns by December 7, 2023.
In accordance with the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act, prior to issuing
a right-of-way permit on the Refuge, the FWS must determine if the use is compatible with
Refuge purposes. A draft compatibility determination is available at La Crosse District
Visitor Center located at N5727 County Rd Z in Onalaska on Brice Prairie for review and
comment.
The National Wildlife Refuge System mission is to administer a national network of lands
and waters for the conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of the
fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit
of present and future generations of Americans.

The purposes for establishing, acquiring, and managing the UMRNWFR is “as a refuge
and breeding place for migratory birds included in the terms of the convention between
the United States and Great Britain for the protection of migratory birds, concluded
August 16, 1916, and (b) to such extent as the Secretary of the Interior by regulations,

prescribe, as a refuge and breeding place for other wild birds, game animals, fur-
bearing animals, and for the conservation of wild flowers and aquatic plants, and (c) to

such extent as the Secretary of the Interior may, by regulations, prescribe a refuge and
breeding place for fish and other aquatic animal life.”
Dairyland Power Cooperative proposes to renew the existing right-of-way, with no
changes to the footprint of the right-of-way.
Applying the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, the FWS (U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service) has assessed the potential environmental impacts of
renewing the utility right-of-way and determined that these activities will not impact
floodplains, wetlands, or endangered species. The proposed compatibility
determination is also being reviewed under Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act.

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is the most visited
refuge in the United States. The refuge extends 261 miles along the Upper
Mississippi River from Wabasha, Minn. to Rock Island, Ill., protecting and preserving
habitat for migratory birds, fish, and a variety of other wildlife.
In addition to being the most visited refuge in the country, the “Upper Miss” Refuge
has the added complexity of a major navigation system, including 11 locks and dams,
within its boundary. It is also a world-class fish and wildlife area which harbors 306
species of birds; 119 species of fish; more than 300 active bald eagle nests;
thousands of heron and egret nests; spectacular concentrations of canvasback ducks,
tundra swans, and white pelicans; and several threatened or endangered species.