Congress blocks sage grouse protections, but work goes on

Fuel Fix ^ | December 17, 2014 | Associated Press

[thackney]

U.S. wildlife officials will decide next year whether a wide-ranging Western bird species needs protections even though Congress has blocked such protections from taking effect, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said Wednesday.

They could determine the greater sage grouse is heading toward possible extinction, but they would be unable to intervene under the Endangered Species Act. The bird’s fate instead remains largely in the hands of the 11 individual states where they are found.

President Barack Obama signed a $1.1 trillion spending bill late Tuesday with a provision that barred money from being spent on rules to protect the chicken-sized bird and three related types of grouse.

Jewell said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will continue collecting and analyzing data on sage grouse. A decision on whether protections are warranted will be reached by the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, Interior officials said.

[thackney]

[glock rocks]

Too bad about those tasty, tasty grouse.

[logic101.net]

Congress has blocked

To the Obama administration this phrase means no more than “the Supreme Court has ruled...” does.

[randita]

Outdoor ping

[SJackson]

If you’d like to be on or off this Outdoors/Rural/wildlife/hunting/hiking/backpacking/National Parks/animals list please FR mail me. And ping me is you see articles of interest.

[lavaroise]

All this is loss of habitat in order to feed vegans

[ryan71]

Please boot me from your list. Thanks.

[Lurker]

How could they be endangered if they’re found in 11 states?

[Doctor DNA]

Let the hunters own some wild game farms and influence the sport rules.

The game population, and sport industry will improve!

[Lurker]

There you go making sense.

[wyokostur]

Pretty much all of Wyoming....this should be interesting.

[dfwgator]

“I don’t see any grouse.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiXcPj6AkXY

[Domandred]

So hard to believe it’s an endangered species when Idaho still has hunting season on them.

[SunkenCiv]

Meanwhile, for the past 45 years:

Pro-choice lawyer who drafted Roe: “Abortion should eliminate the poor”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3245852/posts