A tiny butterfly is forcing some changes in the Department of Transportation’s highway 100 extension west of Cedar Rapids. The yellow-orange colored Byssus Skipper is on the state threatened species list, and lives on and near the eight-mile stretch of the proposed highway extension. One local butterfly expert that’s opposed to the highway project says the extension would destroy the butterflies. D-O-T field services coordinator, Cathy Cutler, says that’s not so. She says it’s unlikely the butterfly would stop the project. She says they will try to make a new home for the butterfly to replace what’s lost by the highway.Cutler says the D-O-T environmental plan is now in a 45-day comment period, and there will be a public hearing on September 12th in Cedar Rapids. A final decision on the project will come from the state Transportation Commission in November or December.
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