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sage grouse (Read 4345 times)

Freddy

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sage grouse
01/10/12 at 11:55:35

I received this from our local ATV club Pres. today. Looks like the spotted owl has a patner in crime. Most important on here are dates of meetings to be held in your state of Utah as well as the other states involved.
See below BlueRibbon�s action alert on the Sage Grouse. �BRC will be following the issue on their web page and will be sending out frequent updates.

Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) just began a planning effort encompassing just about every BLM land use plan in 10 Western states. The subject of this gargantuan, multi-million dollar planning effort is the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)
In April 2010, the United State Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) found the greater sage-grouse warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), but listing the species was precluded by the need to address other high priority species first.
Soon after this, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) began working with state and local governments on massive conservation efforts which have been moderately successful. The situation with sage grouse habitat is improving.
Common sense resource protection is never enough for the Big Green Foundations that fund a small group of radical environmentalists. To these radicals, an endangered species is nothing more than a regulatory mechanism to ensure human use and access will be drastically reduced or eliminated.
I know... you have heard this before. Barely a day goes by without some Big Green Foundation funding some lawsuit using an endangered bird, bug, bog or beast to lock up public lands.
But what sets the sage grouse issue apart is the size of the habitat. To this day, nobody knows how many acres of public, state and private lands will be designated as "critical habitat" but the figure is staggering. Millions upon millions of sagebrush grassland habitat could be affected.
The Big Green Foundations have had some success with their litigation, and so the BLM and USFS are reviewing land use plans across 10 states. Experienced BRC access advocates know this is likely to be one of those long drawn out NEPA planning projects. There will be several opportunities for you to keep the radical environmentalists from achieving their goals.
BRC will track the administrative effort and inform our members and supporters when public input is most effective. We will continue to monitor and participate in travel planning in sage-grouse habitat, both to provide for recreation and protect natural resources. When necessary, we will continue to challenge unlawful closures.
CLICK HERE for the announcement of the 10-State Sage Grouse planning effort. Bookmark that page for regular updates and info. CLICK HERE here for a breakdown of the meetings scheduled in your area by State and Region.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
This sage-grouse issue is one of these epic land-use battles that last for decades. Many decades. It involves play on the legislative, legal and administrative playing fields. As recreational advocates, we must gird ourselves with patience and a sense of humor. We must work closely with other groups and elected representatives.
State and local recreation groups will also be key players. If you haven't already, join the state and local OHV organization of your choice.
Friends, we are witnessing one of the greatest land use battles ever. Please continue to respond to BRC action alerts on this and all of the important issues we deal with. You can trust us not to waste your time. We strive to blast action alerts only when your time away from work and family will be effective.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact BRC.
Thanks in advance for your support,
Brian Hawthorne Ric Foster
Public Lands Policy Director Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102 208-237-1008 ext 107

NEVADA

2012 Dates
City
Location
Address

January 9
Tonopah, NV
Tonopah Convention Center
301 Brougher Ave.

January 10

4:00 to 6:00 pm
Ely, NV
Ely District BLM Office
702 N. Industrial Way

January 11
Elko, NV
Hilton Garden Inn
3650 Idaho St.

January 12
Winnemucca, NV
Winnemucca Inn
741 W. Winnemucca Blvd.

January 30
Reno, NV
Hyatt Place
1790 E. Plumb Lane

IDAHO

January 9
Boise, ID
Red Lion Boise Hotel
1800 Fairview Ave.

January 10
Idaho Falls, ID
Red Lion Hotel
475 River Parkway

January 11
Salmon, ID
Salmon Valley Business & Innovation Center
803 Monroe St.

January 25
Twin Falls, ID
Canyon Springs Red Lion Inn
1357 Blue Lakes Blvd.

January 26
Pocatello, ID
The Clarion
1399 Pocatello Bench Road

MONTANA

January 12
Dillon, MT
National Guard Armory
1050 MT Hwy 41

OREGON

January 17
Lakeview, OR
BLM Lakeview District Office
1301 South G St

January 23
Ontario, OR
Four Rivers Cultural Center
676 SW 5th Ave.

January 24
Baker City, OR
Baker County Library
2400 Resort St.

January 25
Burns, OR
Harney County Senior Center
17 S. Alder Ave.

January 26
Prineville, OR
Stafford Inn
1773 NE Third St.

UTAH

January 17
Price, UT
Carbon County Event Center
310 S. Fairgrounds Rd.

January 18
Vernal, UT
Western Park Convention Center
300 E, 200 South

January 19
Salt Lake City, UT
Hampton Inn & Suites
307 N. Admiral Byrd Rd.

January 23
Randolph, UT
Randolph Senior Center
5 North Main St.

January 24
Snowville, UT
Snowville Town Hall
20 W. Main St.

January 30
Richfield, UT
Sevier County Clerks Room #B46 Auditorium
250 N. Main Ave.

January 31
Kanab, UT
Kane City Library
374 N. Main St.

February 1
Cedar City, UT
Heritage Center - Festival Hall
105 North, 100 East

CALIFORNIA

January 18
Alturas, CA
Sacred Heart Catholic Church Parish Hall
507 E. 4th St.

January 19
Susanville, CA
Jensen Hall
Lassen County Fairgrounds

EASTERN REGION

The Eastern Region will be hosting two scoping meetings in January 2012 in Montana and the Dakotas. Specific date, time, and location information will be provided as soon as available. Four scoping meetings are also scheduled in northern and northeastern Utah at the locations and dates listed below. Each meeting will run from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., unless noted:

MONTANA

2012 Dates
City
Location
Address

January 10

5:00 to 8:00 pm
Lewistown, MT
Yogo Inn
211 E. Main St.

UTAH

January 17

5:00 to 8:00 pm
Price, UT
Bowman City Hall
101 1st St. NE

January 18
Vernal, UT

January 19
Salt Lake City, UT

January 23
Randolph, UT

NORTH DAKOTA

January 17
Bowman, ND

Comments may be made to the BLM during the scoping meetings or by any of the following methods:

Western Region

web site: Multimedia file viewing and clickable links are available for registered members only!! You need to

!!

email: sagewest@blm.gov

fax: 775-861-6747

mail: Western Region Project Manager, BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, NV 89502

Eastern Region

web site: Multimedia file viewing and clickable links are available for registered members only!! You need to

!!

email: sageeast@blm.gov

fax: 307-775-6042

mail: Eastern Region Project Manager, BLM Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone, Cheyenne, WY 82009

To ensure that comments and information are fully considered during the preparation of the EISs/SEISs, the BLM must receive them by close of business on February 7, 2012. All comments and submissions will be considered in the environmental analysis process.

For further information or to have your name added to the mailing list, contact: Brian Amme, Western Region Project Manager; (775) 861-861-6645; mailing address 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno, NV 89520; email bamme@blm.gov; or Chuck Otto, Eastern Region Project Manager, (307) 775-6062; mailing address 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, WY 82009; email cotto@blm.gov; .

Polaris 570 RZR
If the women don't find me handsome, At least they will find me handy! Red Green

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Freddy

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Re: sage grouse
Reply #1 - 02/03/12 at 20:53:51

Here is a up date
Freddy

Feb. 3, 2012 5:11 PM ET

Judge rejects challenge on sage grouse listing

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) � A federal judge on Thursday rejected a challenge from environmental groups seeking to force the federal government to take immediate action to increase protections for the sage grouse. Had their request been granted, it could have curtailed new energy production on public lands across the West.

Judge B. Lynn Winmill of Idaho granted a request by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the states of Wyoming and Utah and others to rule against the groups, Western Watersheds Project and WildEarth Guardians.

Although Winmill ruled for the federal agency, he had harsh words for Steve Guertin, regional director of the FWS in Denver, over his initial recommendation that sage grouse be listed as "warranted but precluded." That remains the bird's present ranking, which amounts to federal acknowledgment that the bird needs federal protections but that other species are in even worse shape.

"Guertin's recommendation ignored his agency's own guidelines, contained no scientific analysis and featured off-hand comments about the various political interests at play in the case," Winmill wrote. "Given that political meddling has already resulted in one reversal in this case, the court was frankly astonished at Guertin's cavalier recommendations."

Nonetheless, Winmill wrote that the Fish and Wildlife Service scientists later did the necessary work to support Guertin's recommendation to agency higher-ups. The judge upheld the agency's determination that the threat to sage grouse currently falls into the moderate category.

The Interior Department is under a separate federal court order to decide by the end of 2015 whether the birds ultimately should receive Endangered Species Act protections.

Pat Deibert, national sage grouse coordinator with the Fish and Wildlife Service in Cheyenne, applauded Winmill's ruling, saying the agency believes it's appropriate for the courts to defer to the agency's expertise.

"It doesn't mean we've quit working on the sage grouse," Deibert said. "It just gives us a more reasonable amount of time."

The sage grouse is a chicken-sized bird known for its elaborate mating display. It's found in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, South Dakota, North Dakota Nevada, Utah, Washington, Oregon, eastern California and western Colorado.

Jon Marvel, executive director of the Idaho-based Western Watershed Project, said Friday he's disappointed in Winmill's ruling.

"I think it just delays the day of reckoning, but does not change the probable outcome," Marvel said.

"It's clear the judge was disappointed and disgusted with the behavior of the regional director," Marvel said. "And that I think reflects poorly on this administration in that it simply is an extension of the political involvement that was carried out during the Bush administration, where recommendations for listing of species under the Endangered Species Act are interfered with by political considerations. So, it's a shame, but it appears to be a continuing reality."

Marvel said listing sage grouse as endangered would put a significant damper on oil, gas and coal development in sage grouse habitat in the West.

"The reality is that these groups have not proposed anything substantive to protect sage grouse habitat," Marvel said of energy interests. "Instead, they have chosen to avoid making commitments to protecting that habitat. And as a consequence, it seems to me they are in the process of digging their own graves."

Jay Tutchton, lawyer for WildEarth Guardians in Denver, said Winmill's ruling makes it clear that the sage grouse issue will get resolved by 2015.

"In the meantime, what you will see is a large amount of activity by various states and federal agencies trying to put in place some sort of protective regime that will allow the government not to list the sage grouse, and we will just have to wait and see if they can come up with an alternative that actually protects the bird," Tutchton said.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has said sage grouse have experienced a 90 percent decline in their numbers and a 50 percent decline in their habitat over the last century. Populations have been relatively stable over the last decade.

Wyoming officials have been working for years to try to keep the sage grouse off the endangered or threatened list to avoid interrupting energy development, the state's bread and butter. The state has designated core sage grouse habitat where restrictions are in place on disruptions, including energy development.

Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead said Friday that Winmill's decision allows the state to move forward with its own conservation plan.

"Our deliberate approach recognizes that the goal of the Endangered Species Act is not listing a species, but rather the goal is to avoid the need for a species to be added to the list," Mead said. "Wyoming is also working with other western states and the Bureau of Land Management to share our state-led strategy for sage-grouse management."

Salazar traveled to Cheyenne in December to applaud Wyoming's sage grouse conservation efforts, which he said could be adopted by other Western states.

Bruce Hinchey, president of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, said Friday that he believes Wyoming's approach offers real protection for the birds. Considering what's already been done and reclamation efforts undertaken by energy companies, he said, "I think they're going to be hard-pressed to come up and say that the bird needs to be listed."

Polaris 570 RZR
If the women don't find me handsome, At least they will find me handy! Red Green

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