A male Karner blue butterfly lands within NIPSCO Miller Right-of-Way. - Photo by Elizabeth McCloskey

On March 8, 2006, Regional Director Robyn Thorson signed the Implementing Agreement between the Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), Indiana-American Water Company, Inc. (INAWC), and the Service. That signing brought to fruition nine years of effort by company personnel and Service staff to develop and implement a Habitat Conservation Plan to manage four utility rights-of-way for the endangered Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) in Lake and Porter Counties, Indiana. 

Efforts began in April 1997, with NIPSCO planning to address butterfly habitat in 3 of its major powerline rights-of-way adjacent to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Changes in NIPSCO staff delayed work on the document until 2000. 

In 2002, Service staff observed Karner blue butterflies within a fourth powerline ROW which also contains a potable water pipeline.  They determined that INAWC owns that ROW, resulting in that company being invited to join NIPSCO in the HCP process. 

While planning progressed, NIPSCO hired consultants to map the extent of wild lupine (Lupinus perennis), the only known Karner larval food plant, within the four ROWs, to determine the environmental baseline and conduct surveys for the butterfly. 

The HCP was designed to address management of 86 acres, within which 4.24 acres of lupine were found.  As mitigation for any adverse effects on Karner blue butterfly habitat, NIPSCO will enhance a 12.85-acre woodland adjacent to the Miller ROW. They will accomplish this through reduction in timber to restore savanna conditions and by planting wild lupine and butterfly nectoring species. 

The final HCP and Incidental Take Permit  applications were submitted to the Service on May 3, 2005, and the Notice of Availability for public review of the documents was published in the Federal Register, on July 19, 2005. 

Service Biologist Elizabeth McCloskey, Northern Indiana Suboffice, has worked on the project since its inception and prepared required Service NEPA documentation. McCloskey also prepared an Intraservice Section 7 Biological Opinion on the proposed issue of  IPTs to the companies.  The HCP and ITPs will be in effect for 25 years.