Issues

Coloradoans Concerned With Potential Sage Grouse Listing. In Colorado, commissioners from Garfield, Mesa, Moffat and Rio Blanco counties have called on Governor Hickenlooper to intervene in the Bureau of Land Management’s efforts to list the greater sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). According to the Denver Post, the commissioners believe “the consequences of the Bureau of Land Management’s decision about how to manage 1.8 million acres of land extends well beyond the well-being of the bird.”

Governor Hickenlooper also reiterated his support for a state-based plan:

“Given the unique landscapes and natural resources in Colorado, a Colorado-based solution is more practical that one handed down by the federal government. We hope the Bureau of Land Management will look at the public-private partnerships that have been so successful in Colorado as a model on how to get things done.”

Comments to Congressional Endangered Species Act Working Group. The Congressional Endangered Species Act Working Group is requesting comments on Endangered Species Act (ESA) improvements. IPAA plans to submit comments to the working group but would appreciate your input on ESA improvements. Please send recommendations or comments you may have to Kristen Lingley at Klingley@ipaa.org by November 6, 2013.  If your company would like to submit individual comments, they can be submitted on the ESA Working Group Website HERE.

BLM Proposes Plans for Greater Sage Grouse. On Friday November 1st, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released three proposed plans to protect the Greater sage grouse in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada along with parts of California and Montana. The proposed plans include three draft environmental impact statements (EIS) covering 31 million acres of sage grouse habitat on BLM and Forest Service lands. These drafts are a part of the National Greater Sage-Grouse Planning Strategy being developed to protect the sage grouse population across the west. The public has 90 days to submit comment. E&E News (sub req’d) and Deseret News reports on the news.

Western Energy Alliance Video on Protecting Wildlife While Producing Energy. The Western Energy Alliance has released a video on how oil and natural gas companies are producing energy while protecting our natural environment and wildlife.  The video features Brian Maxfield, Senior Biologist with the Utah Department of Natural Resources talking about a nesting project to protect breeding ferruginous hawks; and Denny Behrens of the Colorado Mule Deer Association describing habitat restoration projects funded by companies, even as the federal government decreases wildlife and habitat funding. Watch the full video HERE.

Arkansas Groups Dispute Critical Habitat Designation for Listed Mussels. This week, the Association of Arkansas Counties (ACC) and several other organizations submitted joint comment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) regarding the proposed designation of critical habitat for two mussels listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Neosho mucket, listed as endangered, and the Rabbitsfoot, listed as threatened, are both fresh water mussels found in the state. In their comments, the organizations urge a 36 percent reduction in the geographic area being proposed as critical habitat. According to the comments:

The Service’s proposed rule will designate a total of 769.2 river miles in Arkansas as critical habitat for Neosho muckets and rabbitsfoot mussels.  The proposed critical habitat designations will directly impact 31 Arkansas counties, and, if finalized as proposed, the targeted watershed will cover approximately 42% of the entire geographical area of Arkansas.

Randy Zook, President & CEO of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas  emphasized the potential economic impacts such a listing could have in the Associations news release:

“The direct impact on the economic operation of counties, cities, agricultural operations and many business and industrial operations is potentially very costly. And the indirect impact of lost jobs, reduced or eliminated development, and avoidance of necessary repairs and improvements greatly increases the negative impact on our state’s economy. Additional damage to our economy will then follow in the form of lost tax revenue, increased unemployment claims, damage from unrepaired roads and bridges, and increases in transportation costs.”

The comments emphasize that a reduction in the critical habitat designation is supported by scientific findings and would better account for the social and economic impacts the current designation could have on the state. Read the Arkansas Association Counties news release HERE and the filed comments HERE.

In the News

Enviros to sue Interior, DOD over pumping’s impacts to river, endangered species. E&E News (sub req’d). Two environmental groups have notified the Interior and Defense departments that they plan to sue to force them to comply with a federal court order and develop a mitigation plan that would allow an Army base in Arizona to tap groundwater without harming the San Pedro River and two endangered species.

Proposal would list bistate sage grouse as threatened. Los Angeles Times. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced a proposal to list the bistate sage grouse as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, affording special protections to about 5,000 birds along the California-Nevada border.

Wyo. drilling proposal threatens prime sage grouse habitat — enviro petition. E&E News (sub req’d). A coalition of environmental groups is asking the Interior Department to slow down planned oil and natural gas drilling activity inside prime greater sage grouse habitat in eastern Wyoming. WildEarth Guardians recently sent a formal petition to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell asking the agency to exercise its authority over subsurface mineral rights in the area and forbid new well pads and associated infrastructure such as roads inside a state-designated core sage grouse area until it has finalized resource plan amendments designed to protect grouse in the region.

Comment due on mussel habitats in Ohio, elsewhere. Associated Press. The government is looking for additional public comment on a proposal to protect freshwater mussel habitats in Ohio and 11 other states. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has re-opened the public comment period until Monday. The old deadline was June 10. 

Santa Barbara Wildflower Proposed for Endangered Species Act Protection With 5,785 Acres of Critical Habitat. Center for Biological Diversity (Press Release). Following an agreement with the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed Endangered Species Act protection today for a rare wildflower found only in Santa Barbara County. The proposal to protect the Vandenberg monkeyflower results from a 2011 settlement with the Center to speed decisions on 757 imperiled plants and animals across the country. The proposal includes 5,785 acres of protected habitat.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reopens comment on wolverine threatened status. Missoulian. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reopening public comment on a proposed rule to list the North American wolverine ast threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The service published the proposed rule – and a special rule to tailor Endangered Species Act prohibitions that would apply to the wolverine – in February and took public comment through May 6. 

Pennsylvania Game Commission tries to rescue dwindling number of bats. Tribune Live. Endangered species regulations have been responsible for delaying projects for Snyder Associated Companies for years, costing thousands of dollars for studies. The regulations also eliminated about 20 gravel-dredging jobs on the Allegheny River in 2009, although the company transferred most of those employees for other jobs.