Zinke to DOI: "Sage Grouse Listing Clearly "Not Warranted', And Neither is Another Federal Land Grab"

Press Release

Today, Department of Interior (DOI) Secretary Sally Jewell announced listing the greater sage grouse on the endangered species list is "unwarranted." While the unwarranted status of the ground-dwelling, chicken-sized bird was no surprise to Montanans who are closest to the issue, the abrupt change in position by the Obama Administration comes after years of state and local governments and stakeholders spending tens of millions of dollars to preserve the habitat of the bird. Despite the species not being listed, the federal government is executing a massive land grab that will restrict agriculture, mining, wind farms, oil and gas development, and other natural resource development.

"I've said this from the beginning: The listing of the sage grouse as an endangered species is not warranted, and neither is another federal land grab," said Rep Ryan Zinke. "I'm happy to hear that the Fish and Wildlife Service is finally coming to this conclusion and respect what the scientists, conservationists, and land owners have known for years. However, I remain concerned about the federal government's role in the conservation process, specifically the withdrawal of ten million acres of land that has the potential for natural resource development. This multi-million acre land grab is aimed at shutting down Montana's energy economy. I firmly believe state-driven solutions are the best approach to create a middle ground to protect the species while ensuring energy development opportunities continue."

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Below is the BLM's greater sage-grouse conservation plans in Montana.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is incorporating conservation measures for greater sage-grouse through resource management plan revisions for the Billings Field Office, the HiLine District and the Miles City Field Office and resource plan amendments for the Lewistown Field Office.

The decisions made in the Billings, HiLine and Miles City Resource Plan Revisions outline a comprehensive framework to guide future management decisions for all resource values and program areas. The Resource Management Plan for Pompey's Pillar National Monument is also being revised, under the Environmental Impact Statement for Billings.

The BLM amended the land-use plan in Montana to address threats to the greater sage-grouse. The BLM plans provide a layered management approach that focus protections on the areas of highest importance to the species. The highest levels of protections are applied to Sagebrush Focal Areas (SFA), which are landscapes with high breeding population densities of sage-grouse, high-quality sagebrush habitat and a preponderance of federal ownership or protected areas that serve to anchor the conservation value of the landscape. These areas are prioritized for habitat improvement and vegetation management efforts and proposed for locatable mineral withdrawal.

Priority Habitat Management Areas (PHMA), equivalent to Core Areas, are managed to avoid and minimize further disturbance. Surface energy and mineral development is limited in these areas. Development is capped with limits on the amount and density of disturbance allowed. All of the SFAs are incorporated within PHMA.

General Habitat Management Areas (GHMA) provide greater flexibility for land use activities. Mitigation and required design features ensure that impacts from development are avoided, minimized and mitigated in GHMA.

SFA Acres
980,400 acres

PHMA Acres
3.9 million acres

GHMA Acres
3.2 million acres

Source