Interior Secretary Zinke to review sage grouse protections

Sage Grouse - BLM photo
Sage Grouse – BLM photo

This is the NPR version of this story, including a pretty neat sage grouse video . . .

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has announced that regulations protecting the sage grouse – rules which have been subject to years of negotiation and controversy in Western states – are once again under review.

This puts the Greater Sage Grouse Conservation plan, finalized in 2015, in a state of flux.

Zinke stressed that the Trump administration wants to see improvement in the bird’s conservation, but also wants to make sure that state agencies are “heard on this issue.” He said that possible modifications would take into account “local economic growth and job creation.”

It’s safe to say that the sage grouse, found only in North America, is a singular, strange bird that elicits strong feelings…

Read more . . .

Also read: Interior Chief to Review Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan (Flathead Beacon)