Interior Secretary Sally Jewell has unveiled several new federal plans for western states to preserve the habitat for the Greater Sage Grouse in an effort to keep the bird from being added to the endangered species list. The plans would keep energy development from occurring in sensitive areas.
"And in the most important areas the plans will minimize or eliminate surface disturbance from energy development like drill pads and major transmission lines. And where avoidance isn’t possible, they’ll require mitigation to improve existing habitat. But they will also include monitoring and review measures to make sure what we are doing is actually having the intended result."
Some environmental groups say that the plans don’t go far enough, but Jewell said during the announcement in Cheyenne that the plans are grounded in science and provide an appropriate balance.
"They’ve got the guidance of the best fish wildlife biologists, not just in the federal and state agencies, but in a broader network of scientists and universities, and beyond."
Jewell said it’s the largest collaborative effort among states to preserve a single species. Wyoming Governor Matt Mead says it’s a blueprint for how sensitive issues can be handled in the future.