Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Thursday 2 November 2017

2 states warn Trump against big changes in sage grouse plan

By DAN ELLIOTT governor on this and many
Associated Press other issues,” Smith said in
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — an email to The Associated
Two Western governors on Press.
Tuesday warned the Trump Mead said protecting en-
administration against dangered species has be-
making big changes in a come a serious problem,
plan to protect a ground- citing figures that show less
dwelling bird across the than 2 percent of the spe-
West, saying it would send cies protected under the
a message to states not to act since it was passed
bother working together to in 1973 have recovered
save other imperiled spe- enough to be removed
cies. from the list.
Colorado Democrat John “Now, if you care about
Hickenlooper and Wyo- species, or you care about
ming Republican Matt energy production or you
Mead said a 2015 con- care about commerce,
servation plan designed we’ve got to do better
to save the greater sage than that, and a collabor-
grouse was the product of ative process that brings in
long negotiation among Western states on endan-
state and federal gov- In this April 20, 2013 file photo, male greater sage grouse perform mating rituals for a female gered species, in my mind,
ernments, conservation grouse, not pictured, on a lake outside Walden, Colo. is the best way to go,” he
groups, industry and agri- Associated Press said.Not all Western gov-
culture. to protect the bird without and an invasive grass that Despite Mead’s support for ernors support the 2015
“If we go down a differ- putting it on the Endan- encourages wildfires has the 2015 plan, Interior De- plan. Idaho Republican C.
ent road now with the gered Species List, an out- reduced its number to few- partment spokeswoman L. “Butch” Otter filed a law-
sage grouse, what it says come that most states try er than 500,000. Heather Smith said the de- suit shortly after the plan
is, when you try to address to avoid because it usually The 2015 plan covers 11 partment has been in con- was released, contending
other endangered species brings strict restrictions on states and had the approv- tact with Wyoming officials the Obama administration
problems in this country, oil and gas drilling, mining, al of the Obama adminis- “and many, many others illegally imposed federal
don’t have a collabora- agriculture and other ac- tration. It took years to ne- who took serious issue with land-use restrictions. A fed-
tive process, don’t work tivities to protect habitat. gotiate and was hailed as the Obama-era plans.” eral judge dismissed the
together, because it’s go- But Interior Secretary Ryan a model for saving a spe- “We look forward to con- lawsuit in January, but Ot-
ing to be changed,” Mead Zinke said in June his de- cies through cooperation, tinuing to work with the ter has appealed.q
said. “To me, that would partment would consider rather than the hammer of
be a very unfortunate cir- changing the plan to give the Endangered Species
cumstance.” states more flexibility to al- Act.
Hickenlooper said, “We are low mining, logging and The Interior Department has
both very concerned that other economic develop- not released the full details
the new administration is ment. Environmentalists of its planned revisions, but
going to take away all the have said the planned re- the agency announced
guide rails that allowed this vision was just a back-door in early October it would
collaboration to exist.” attempt to open up more withdraw protections for
They appeared together land to mining and drilling. about 15,600 square miles
at an energy conference Millions of sage grouse (40,000 square kilometers)
at Colorado State Univer- once lived across the U.S. of sage grouse habitat on
sity. West, but development, federal lands to allow en-
The 2015 plan is designed disease, livestock grazing ergy development.