Amended sage-grouse plan out for comment

A 90-day public comment period opened Thursday on a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on management plans for greater sage-grouse in the west. The plans will affect Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, and Utah.

The plan is aimed at improving the clarity, efficiency, and implementation of greater sage-grouse plans, including promoting landscape-scale alignment with state efforts.

The bird has faced a variety of threats, including the loss of habitat to wildfire and invasive weeds. Federal management plans were amended in 2015 in an effort to keep the species from being listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. But, the federal agencies contend new science and management details emerged and will be incorporated into revised plans.

“All of our stakeholders have been instrumental in our efforts to conserve greater sage-grouse habitat,” said John Shivik, the Forest Service Greater Sage-grouse Coordinator. “Our partners, including the general public and specialists from state and local agencies, continue to help us by sharing their observations about the current plans.”

The comment period will last 90 days after the “Notice of Availability” of the draft is published in the federal register.

You can read the document and submit comments here.