Sage Grouse in HR 6398

[Justabirdwatcher]

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6938/text

Sage-grouse
Sec. 119. None of the funds made available by this or any other Act may be used by the Secretary of the Interior to write or issue pursuant to section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533)—
(1) a proposed rule for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus);
(2) a proposed rule for the Columbia basin distinct population segment of greater sage-grouse.

 

[Big Fin]

WTH. I missed that one.

So, evidently we want to have an ESA listing for sage grouse, something we narrowly dodged in 2015. If that happens, the entire west is going to be critical habitat subject to ESA restrictions.

 

[WyoCoalMiner]

WTH. I missed that one.

So, evidently we want to have an ESA listing for sage grouse, something we narrowly dodged in 2015. If that happens, the entire west is going to be critical habitat subject to ESA restrictions.

Doesn't this say the opposite?

 

[406dn]

Doesn't this say the opposite?

I did not read it, but I'd be shocked if you are wrong on this.

The Sage Grouse is truly in trouble, but the economic costs to save them are very high. I have watched their numbers plummet in my adult life. They will be gone in fifty or so years. Maybe their DNA will stay frozen.

 

[Big Fin]

Doesn't this say the opposite?

Maybe my reading comprehension sucks. I read it again. I still came away with the same understanding.

 

[El Jason]

Maybe my reading comprehension sucks. I read it again. I still came away with the same understanding.

I’m reading it the same way.

 

[TX Trophy Hunter]

First paragraph of section 4 of ESA. Looks to me like congress is blocking the Secretary from implementing the ESA on sage grouse.​

​

§1533. Determination of endangered species and threatened species​

(a) Generally​

(1) The Secretary shall by regulation promulgated in accordance with subsection (b) determine whether any species is an endangered species or a threatened species because of any of the following factors:

(A) the present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range;

(B) overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes;

(C) disease or predation;

(D) the inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; or

(E) other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued existence.

 

[WyoCoalMiner]

I’m reading it as budget appropriation with the caveat that none of that money can be used by Sec of Interior to put SG under an ESA protection.

 

[kwyeewyk]

Maybe my reading comprehension sucks. I read it again. I still came away with the same understanding.

I'm reading that no funding is provided to issue rules. I just saw something about a review regarding range wide and Columbia Basin DPS, which made me scratch my head because that DPS was determined/decided not to be a DPS at the last not warranted decision. Now I can't find what I was thinking of. Our local grouse meeting is tomorrow, maybe more info will be shared, but I read this as no changes to current status are allowed based on lack of funding, guessing it's preemptive to the review that was supposed to happen.

 

[marksjeep]

On the heels of this thread posted yesterday.

https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/farewell-to-the-local-wyoming-sage-grouse-working-groups.331826/