AEG Endangered Plant and Animal Survey

AEG contracted ASTI to provide endangered species clearance as part of the NEPA process for a new fiberoptic cable project in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan along approximately 200 miles of public road right-of-way in Chippewa, Delta, Mackinac, and Schoolcraft Counties within the Hiawatha National Forest. This project was to bring fiberoptic internet to many rural parts of the Upper Peninsula. ASTI initiated coordination with United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to document the NEPA process. FWS’s Information for Planning and Consultation issued a list of species of concern for the project, which included both plants and animals that were known to occur within the vicinity of the project area.

During June and August, ASTI conducted a complete assessment of the entire 200-mile project area, mapping the natural community types and searching for the species of concern and their preferred habitats. Several locations of federally protected plant species were located within the project boundary, and the locations of these plants and preferred habitat were GPS-surveyed. ASTI issued a report to FWS and USFS and provided the locations of the protected species found.