MAP: Amid the frac sand, an endangered butterfly

The Karner blue butterfly’s range “almost perfectly overlaps” that of sand deposits where frac sand miners might go, according to a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources memo. Shown here in blue are the areas where butterflies are at least 50 percent likely to occur, including a five-mile buffer, sandstone of possible interest to frac sand miners, and frac sand mines or plants. This map shows the DNR’s January 2012 list of sites with air pollution permits. So it doesn’t include sites that don’t yet have such permits. As of mid-January, the DNR had counted about 60 mines, 32 plants either operating or being built, and 20 more proposed mines — more than double the 41 mines or plants the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism counted in mid-July.