Sage Grouse & The ESA

[Ben Lamb]

Secretary Jewell announced this morning that Sage Grouse will not be placed on the Endangered Species List. The work done over the years by local landowners, states and the fed has been cited as the reason why the bird doesn't need to be listed.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHUsVfmyXhg

 

[1_pointer]

Great news! Now is the time to use the non-listing to leverage more funds and get more work done on the ground.

 

[double_a85]

That is some great news. I was beginning to worry it would end up going the other way.

 

[npaden]

I think it was that last $2 million that Utah gave Ryan Benson that pushed it over the edge!

 

[elkantlers]

That is great. Dodged a bullet there.

 

[Ben Lamb]

BGF & Benson are claiming this is a loss. They are mirroring Rob Bishop's talking points and will continue to push for less funding for BLM to implement these plans & using congress to eliminate protections for the Greater Sage Grouse.

 

[Oak]

BGF & Benson are claiming this is a loss. They are mirroring Rob Bishop's talking points and will continue to push for less funding for BLM to implement these plans & using congress to eliminate protections for the Greater Sage Grouse.

I saw this post a bit ago and thought, "how could that be?" Then I just got this in my email. Sounds like someone is not done cutting the fat hog.

Big Game Forever Supporters,

Today, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that Greater Sage-grouse will not be added to the Endangered Species List as either an endangered or threatened species.We are grateful for your efforts to ensure this species and the 165,000,000 acres of its habitat across the West remains under state wildlife management authority. Unfortunately we are not out of the woods yet.

There are several problems with today's announcement:

•First, this decision only lasts for a period of 5 years.
•Second, the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service are moving forward with new heavy-handed restrictions on millions of acres of public land across the West.
•Third, there is nothing to stop the floodgate of litigation by groups who are opposed to the use of public land by sportsmen, livestock, outdoor recreation and many other uses.

Don't be fooled by Washington; today's action is about regulation, not conservation.

Congress is currently working to protect our access to and use of these lands by a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This provision protects critical state management programs for Greater Sage-Grouse, stops the endless lawsuits and provides additional time to ensure any new BLM or Forest Service plans protect the needs of local communities who are investing the most in Sage-Grouse conservation.

In the coming weeks we will need your help. Watch for future action alerts and additional information from Big Game Forever. Your support of these common-sense solutions that protect the rights of sportsmen to hunt and fish on public lands in America makes all the difference.

Thank you for your support.

Ryan Benson

 

[Ben Lamb]

These guys can't seem to tell the truth about anything. The BLM plans don't restrict hunter access at all, and will do more to improve hunter opportunity than past plans.

But they do have a $2 million slush fund that the taxpayers of UT have given them, so they need to keep up the fight, regardless of what it does for public lands conservation.

Sick.

 

[Oneye]

These guys can't seem to tell the truth about anything. The BLM plans don't restrict hunter access at all, and will do more to improve hunter opportunity than past plans.

But they do have a $2 million slush fund that the taxpayers of UT have given them, so they need to keep up the fight, regardless of what it does for public lands conservation.

Sick.

From the sounds of it they're gonna need more tax money to lobby more fairy tales in the coming weeks. Governor Herbert will step up to the plate no worries BGF.

 

[bigskyblueman]

BGF charter member. http://www.theonion.com/article/ethical-hunter-throws-duck-he-shot-back-sky-51355

 

[npaden]

These guys can't seem to tell the truth about anything. The BLM plans don't restrict hunter access at all, and will do more to improve hunter opportunity than past plans.

But they do have a $2 million slush fund that the taxpayers of UT have given them, so they need to keep up the fight, regardless of what it does for public lands conservation.

Sick.

I think they are supposed to get $2 million more this year. Seems more lucrative than the Defenders of Wildlife angle getting their legal fees paid by the Feds. Benson doesn't seem to have to actually do anything to get his millions.

 

[HighDesertSage]

I'm a little confused here. Wouldn't listing the sage grouse provide protection for deer/elk winter range habitat from residential, energy, etc development? What am I missing?

 

[Oneye]

I'm a little confused here. Wouldn't listing the sage grouse provide protection for deer/elk winter range habitat from residential, energy, etc development? What am I missing?

If something is placed on the Endangered species list it makes it harder for projects to be completed because of all the laws and policies that come along with a listing. In many ways it makes things harder to get done even that would benefit the species. The problem is, with no listing their is no guarantees to the protection or plans in place. Leaving the bird off the list is beneficial as long as we can strike a balance to protect its ecosystem like so many have said they will.

 

[Ben Lamb]

If something is placed on the Endangered species list it makes it harder for projects to be completed because of all the laws and policies that come along with a listing. In many ways it makes things harder to get done even that would benefit the species. The problem is, with no listing their is no guarantees to the protection or plans in place. Leaving the bird off the list is beneficial as long as we can strike a balance to protect its ecosystem like so many have said they will.

It's going to be key that implementation of the state and federal plans actually happen. There's a 5 year review built into the decision announced yesterday that means if the states & fed don't follow through, a new decision would be considered.

Already, certain congressional members are calling the BLM plans, which are pretty good, IMO, a "massive land grab" because the UT and certain industry folks don't like that they'd have to actually live up to their rhetoric.

The listing decision is not the end of this issue, it's just the beginning.

 

[Oneye]

It's going to be key that implementation of the state and federal plans actually happen. There's a 5 year review built into the decision announced yesterday that means if the states & fed don't follow through, a new decision would be considered.

Already, certain congressional members are calling the BLM plans, which are pretty good, IMO, a "massive land grab" because the UT and certain industry folks don't like that they'd have to actually live up to their rhetoric.

The listing decision is not the end of this issue, it's just the beginning.

Very true, and I think we can all just hope that both state and federal agencies will live up to those promises. Bishop is a joke, and I'm tired of this land grab bull crap from him and all his BS beyond belief. He's a true tool. In 5 years hopefully we can look at success of the plans rather than avoidance.

 

[Big Fin]

Been out filming and have been catching up on these topics. Typical BS from Big Game Forever. They did not get their way, again, and now they are trying to save face by making it look like the $4 million investment will not be wasted.

News flash - that "investment" was an "expense" the day BGF put it in their bank account. BGF is bush league, hell not even bush league, when it comes to policy that requires them to move out of the dark rooms of the Utah Legislature.

To anyone other than BGF (new kids on the sage grouse block), this is great news. Tons of work has been happening for the last decade. Public and private groups doing a lot of work to protect/improve habitat. BGF has done none of that. Sniveling and whining does nothing to help on the ground.

I expect more panhandling by the Utah carnies as they try to spin the reason why this is not a rat hole into which the good folks of Utah have tossed many millions of dollars.

 

[mkmatheson]

This is a very positive decision for the outdoor community and the sage grouse. Kudos to the scores of groups and individuals who created a plan that will hopefully work over the long haul.

And as a, "good folk of Utah," tossing dollars at windmills has become a regular occurrence here.

 

[Ben Lamb]

http://helenair.com/news/state-and-...cle_f6b35951-375d-5070-a09c-55153f4f0274.html

In good news, Bishop & Big Game Forever are dealt a defeat on the NDAA (Defense spending authorization) where they sought to eliminate funding for the BLM plans partially responsible for sage grouse delisting. Huge kudos to Senator McCain for standing strong on this.

Maybe his stunt on LWCF is in retaliation to this?

 

[Big Fin]

http://helenair.com/news/state-and-...cle_f6b35951-375d-5070-a09c-55153f4f0274.html

In good news, Bishop & Big Game Forever are dealt a defeat on the NDAA (Defense spending authorization) where they sought to eliminate funding for the BLM plans partially responsible for sage grouse delisting. Huge kudos to Senator McCain for standing strong on this.

Maybe his stunt on LWCF is in retaliation to this?

I saw that. I wonder what the good folks in Utah are going to say now that they have a complete write-off of their $4 million welfare investment in the Big Game Forever franchise. Just like with wolves, BGF got nothing from that investment; nada, zilch, zero. When they saw the writing on the wall last week when the USFWS ruled to no list the sage grouse, they went on the offensive, criticizing every other group working hard to prevent an ESA listing. And now we see why. They knew they did not have the votes to support their Congressional puppet, Representative Bishop.

BGF is not qualified to be run a cookie sale for the local Brownie Troop. A friend asked if BGF has pictures of someone with a donkey down in the Utah legislature. Not sure, but they have some sort of gig going that provides for big fat salaries to the leadership of BGF.

This is so funny. Couldn't happen to a more deserving group of people. Think I'll go shoot some grouse in celebration. After my last podcast when I explained the welfare model BGF has and how they screw up all things they stick their nose into, a few guys took exception. I asked them to show me what BGF had done that represents progress of any sort. Still waiting for their email replies. Maybe they were hoping today would give them some ammo for a reply, but it looks like another complete loss to the nice taxpayers of Utah.

And people wonder by BGF and SFW are the laughing stock among any folks/groups involved in the politics of conservation. As Bill Engvall would say, "Here's your sign."