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The greater sage grouse, known for its mating dance, is in decline across the West.
(Jeannie Stafford/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
The federal government hopes conservation measures can prevent the listing the greater sage grouse as an endangered species, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell told a group of Western governors on Saturday.
The news, courtesy of the Las Vegas Review Journal, hold special significance for Oregon, one of 11 states where a listing would have the most impact. Oregon government officials, environmentalists and ranchers have been watching the issue closely.
Oregon has some of the best sage grouse habitat left. Cattle ranchers stand to lose the most if more stringent legal protections kick in. Here's a roundup of some of recent headlines to show the high stakes involved.
Feds want to save sage grouse with conditions, Interior secretary says (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife and other agencies have been working with environmentalists and local authorities in 11 Western states to find a way to protect sage grouse habitat and preserve the species without a formal listing, Jewell said, speaking at a news conference. She said there's a September 2015 deadline for Fish and Wildlife to make a decision on whether to list the bird as an endangered species and set aside protected habitat for it.
Fate of Oregon's greater sage grouse uncertain after feds list Gunnison grouse as threatened (The Oregonian)
Fish and Wildlife in 2008 deemed both the Gunnison and the greater sage grouse to be warranted for listing, but opted not to act on the decision. A legal settlement in 2011 required the agency to make a final decision last spring, but the timeline was moved back under pressure from state and local governments and private land users who wanted more time to show they were working to improve Gunnison grouse habitat.
Oregon stakeholders examine sage grouse conservation with Interior Secretary Sally Jewell (The Associated Press)
The Warner Mountains have become just one battleground in the 11 states that could see an increase in more stringent land-use regulations and a steep decline in cattle grazing allotments if the sage grouse is recommended for Endangered Species Act protections next year.
Environmentalists eye Idaho sage grouse ruling as leverage for similar lawsuits elsewhere (The Associated Press)
A small portion of a federal judge's ruling in Idaho against the U.S. Bureau of Land Management concerning grazing permits in sage grouse habitat is being eyed as a potential lever by environmental groups considering similar lawsuits in other states.
BLM gets tough on Oregon sage grouse protection to avoid harsher listing (The Oregonian)
Just more than 6 percent of the greater sage grouse's range is in Oregon. But it's some of the bird's most intact habitat, said Maggie Langlas Ward, a BLM planning and environmental coordinator. "It's a good stronghold for the greater sage grouse," she said.
--Nick Budnick