Meet the Blanding’s turtle, a species of turtle found in wetlands in parts of the Midwest, New York, New England, and southern Canada. These semi-aquatic freshwater reptiles also happen to live in the northern part of ComEd’s service territory. They are most active between April and September, out in search of food and, if at least 15 years old, love.
Though the turtle species can live up to the age of 80 years, they have unfortunately become an endangered species – only a small percentage make it to adulthood due to predators, road crossings, and habitat loss and fragmentation.
That’s why in February, when ComEd’s project management team found out our shelled friends lived in an area of Libertyville that would become a power construction site, steps were taken right away to ensure the Blanding’s Turtle habitat and upcoming nesting season were not disturbed.
“We take seriously our responsibility to protecting the communities we’re working in and that includes our wetlands and protected areas where endangered animals may reside,” said Shanee Levesque, senior manager of project management at ComEd. “As we deliver power upgrades needed to support our communities, we maintain compliance with all state and local environmental standards. The work done this summer to protect the Blanding’s Turtles in Libertyville is a key example of that.”
After consulting with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), Lake County and other environmental experts, ComEd made plans to fence off the future construction area ahead of their active season starting in April. ComEd also hired a professional biologist to run weekly “turtle checks” or inspections of the installed fence to ensure no turtles were present within the perimeter. In addition, the biologist created a fact sheet and provided training on the turtle and local habitat to all personnel and contractors who would need to enter the job site any time between April 1 and September 30.
“Lake County is home to a variety of wetlands and endangered species, and we appreciate all of the work ComEd does to ensure that supporting the electrical grid doesn’t harm these spaces or negatively impact these species,” said Lake County Stormwater Representative, Ileana Blauer. “ComEd continues to be a great partner. Over the course of this project, our team regularly inspected the site to ensure that all of the protective measures put in place met our requirements.”
Thankfully there were no turtles encountered within the fence this summer, but if they had, the team was ready with specific instructions and guidelines to stop the job immediately and contact the IDNR for assistance in safely relocating the turtle.
“The use of turtle exclusion fence, and onsite biological monitor and environmental training are proven and effective best practices to keep reptiles and amphibians out of the construction workspace,” Certified Wildlife Biologist and Stantec project manager, Brian Bub, added. “We commonly implement these combined measures in areas where there is potential to encounter listed species, like the Blanding’s turtle.”
With the Libertyville power reliability improvement project expected to continue into next year, the fencing will remain and the site will be monitored and maintained until construction is completed.
This is the latest example of how ComEd prioritizes the safety of communities as well as wildlife while delivering nation-leading reliability for 9 million people across northern Illinois. Other examples of environmental protection efforts led by the company include the restoration of prairies and grasslands in ComEd’s service territory, the preservation of pollinator habitats, and an avian protection and management program. Learn more about the variety of ways in which ComEd serves as an environmental steward here.
