This is a big win for wildlife and actual management of public lands. When the Trump administration revised plans in 11 western states, while simultaneously walking away from their obligation to mitigate impacts from development, it wasn't just sage grouse that were getting the shaft, it was mule deer, pronghorn, sharptail, bighorns, elk, waterfowl and so many other of the 250 sagebrush obligate species (both flora and fauna) that were going to suffer. Now, the stronger plans are back, which will lead to better habitat, equal footing for wildlife in management decisions and better opportunities for hunters in the long run, while further encouraging the mitigation of invasive species such as cheatgrass.
The fight is long from over, but this is a good step in the right direction for true multiple use of public lands, versus the handing of those lands over to one entity. We'll see what happens next, but for now, this is a good morning.
www.nytimes.com
The fight is long from over, but this is a good step in the right direction for true multiple use of public lands, versus the handing of those lands over to one entity. We'll see what happens next, but for now, this is a good morning.
Court Blocks Trump’s Plan to Ease Bird Protections on Oil Lands (Published 2019)
A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration's plans to ease protections on an iconic western bird's habitat — and open it to oil and gas exploration.
