Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi applauded the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for making an announcement today that Enzi said could spare the state economic distress.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made a preliminary announcement today that it would not recommend the listing of the sage grouse as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
Just last week Enzi and the other members of the Wyoming Congressional Delegation, Senator Craig Thomas and Representative Barbara Cubin, wrote a letter to Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton in which they expressed their opposition to the sage grouse listing.
Enzi believes efforts underway by local and state groups and policies being employed by federal agencies are working better to preserve habitat and increase grouse populations than would listing the species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
"We oppose the listing of the sage grouse, and urge you to stop any effort to place it on the endangered species list," the delegation wrote in a Nov. 23 letter. "Various groups in Wyoming have worked hard to avoid a listing through an unparalleled conservation strategy on state and private lands that are sage grouse habitat, and we are concerned that such a listing could hinder those efforts. In addition to those efforts of private citizens and local and state governments, the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) recent release of an interim national strategy for maintaining and restoring sage grouse habitat speak to that agency's commitment to protect this animal. All the necessary parties have committed to protecting the sage grouse, and in lieu of those efforts, we believe a listing is unnecessary."
Enzi said listing the sage grouse as threatened under the Endangered Species Act would threaten oil and gas development and cattle grazing on lands throughout the state.
"It's important to protect the sage grouse and its habitat. It's an icon for the state and we are taking important steps to care for the bird. At the same time oil and gas and ranching must also be protected. They are vital to the economic health of Wyoming. The Fish and Wildlife Service's indication that the data does not support the listing allows the efforts of local groups, the state and other federal agencies to continue. These efforts should continue in order to prevent future listings of species that depend on sage brush habitat. This announcement is good for the grouse and for the people of Wyoming," Enzi said.
Enzi said listing the sage grouse would be one of the most significant listings in the history of the Endangered Species Act, as far as total number of states and land area involved. The official decision on the listing by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Steve Williams is expected by Dec. 29.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made a preliminary announcement today that it would not recommend the listing of the sage grouse as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
Just last week Enzi and the other members of the Wyoming Congressional Delegation, Senator Craig Thomas and Representative Barbara Cubin, wrote a letter to Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton in which they expressed their opposition to the sage grouse listing.
Enzi believes efforts underway by local and state groups and policies being employed by federal agencies are working better to preserve habitat and increase grouse populations than would listing the species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
"We oppose the listing of the sage grouse, and urge you to stop any effort to place it on the endangered species list," the delegation wrote in a Nov. 23 letter. "Various groups in Wyoming have worked hard to avoid a listing through an unparalleled conservation strategy on state and private lands that are sage grouse habitat, and we are concerned that such a listing could hinder those efforts. In addition to those efforts of private citizens and local and state governments, the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) recent release of an interim national strategy for maintaining and restoring sage grouse habitat speak to that agency's commitment to protect this animal. All the necessary parties have committed to protecting the sage grouse, and in lieu of those efforts, we believe a listing is unnecessary."
Enzi said listing the sage grouse as threatened under the Endangered Species Act would threaten oil and gas development and cattle grazing on lands throughout the state.
"It's important to protect the sage grouse and its habitat. It's an icon for the state and we are taking important steps to care for the bird. At the same time oil and gas and ranching must also be protected. They are vital to the economic health of Wyoming. The Fish and Wildlife Service's indication that the data does not support the listing allows the efforts of local groups, the state and other federal agencies to continue. These efforts should continue in order to prevent future listings of species that depend on sage brush habitat. This announcement is good for the grouse and for the people of Wyoming," Enzi said.
Enzi said listing the sage grouse would be one of the most significant listings in the history of the Endangered Species Act, as far as total number of states and land area involved. The official decision on the listing by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Steve Williams is expected by Dec. 29.
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