# Fed's new plan to keep sage grouse off ESA



## Lobowatcher (Nov 25, 2014)

http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/sagegrouse.html

Haven't had a chance to read through this yet, but seems to be a bit of controversy with the multi state plan, as usual. Utah seems to be making most of the noise.

"...The plans contain three common approaches:

Minimizing new or additional surface disturbance - The plans seek to reduce habitat fragmentation and protect intact habitat by implementing surface disturbance caps on development, minimizing surface occupancy from energy development, and identifying buffer distances around leks - areas critical to the sage-grouse life-cycle.

Improving habitat condition - While restoring lost sagebrush habitat can be difficult in the short term, it is often possible to enhance habitat quality through purposeful management. Where there are unavoidable impacts to habitat from development, the plans will require mitigation efforts to enhance and improve sage-grouse habitat.

Reduce threat of rangeland fire - Rangeland fire can lead to the conversion of previously healthy sagebrush habitat into non-native, cheatgrass-dominated landscapes. Experts have identified fire as one of the greatest threats to sagebrush habitat, particularly in the Great Basin region of Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Oregon and California. The plans seek to fight the spread of cheatgrass and other invasive species, position wildland fire management resources for more effective rangeland fire response, and accelerate the restoration of fire-impacted landscapes to native grasses and sagebrush."


----------



## rjefre (Sep 8, 2007)

I listened to Congressman Bishop on the radio complaining about the BLM proposal the other day. He said it will do ZERO to help the birds. Looks like he is angling for some more oil&gas donations...
R


----------



## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

rjefre said:


> I listened to Congressman Bishop on the radio complaining about the BLM proposal the other day. He said it will do ZERO to help the birds. Looks like he is angling for some more oil&gas donations...
> R


I object.....how do you know this...oh wait, he's a politician and he was speaking. That's the only way to tell when a politician is lying, when he opens his mouth and speaks. My bad... ;-)

As my daddy used to say...a politician is the only person in the world who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you look forward to the trip !


----------



## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

So no power lines near the Lieks so raptors can't perch- 
obviously they are talking about new power lines ?
Moving power lines would put 1/2 of WY with out power- back to the dark ages-
you were there then Goob weren't you ?


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Packfish said:


> So no power lines near the Lieks so raptors can't perch-
> obviously they are talking about new power lines ?
> Moving power lines would put 1/2 of WY with out power- back to the dark ages-
> you were there then Goob weren't you ?


Yes. 

I first worked the WY/UT/CO gas patch in 1979. You could fly over Wyoming's Red Desert or Utah's Uintah Basin and never see a light. Now it's all lit up. sad

Power lines in WY? With all the coal-fired power plants, dams, and gas well sites Wyoming has more miles of power lines per capita than anybody. But we still don't have enough.

Personally, I don't think they'll list the Greater sage-grouse.

.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Packfish said:


> So no power lines near the Lieks so raptors can't perch-
> obviously they are talking about new power lines ?
> Moving power lines would put 1/2 of WY with out power- back to the dark ages-
> you were there then Goob weren't you ?


Yes. 

I first worked the WY/UT/CO gas patch in 1979. You could fly over Wyoming's Red Desert or Utah's Uintah Basin and never see a light. Now it's all lit up. sad

Power lines in WY? With all the coal-fired power plants, dams, and gas well sites Wyoming has more miles of power lines per capita than anybody. But we still don't have enough.

Personally, I don't think they'll list the Greater sage-grouse.

.


----------

