Forest Service continues Trump administration’s assault on sage-grouse
Mason Cummings, The Wilderness Society
Forest Service changes move the species and its habitat one step closer to destruction
Today, the US Forest Service released their Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on their changes to the landmark 2015 sage-grouse management plans, gutting key protective measures that risk the survival of the iconic sage-grouse and the sagebrush ecosystem it supports.
The unwarranted changes by the Forest Service follow in the dangerous footsteps of Interior Secretary David Bernhardt’s complete destruction of the Interior Department’s 2015 sage-grouse management plans.
In response, The Wilderness Society issued the following statement from Kim Stevens, Campaign Manager:
“The Bureau of Land Management and now the Forest Service have ignored the hundreds of thousands of stakeholders across the West who repeatedly spoke out against efforts like this to weaken protections for sage-grouse and its habitat.
“The sage-grouse and an entire ecosystem now depend on western governors to take the lead and pick up where this administration has completely failed.”
The Forest Service has posted links to the Proposed Sage-grouse Plan Amendments/Final EIS and Draft Records of Decision here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r4/home/?cid=STELPRD3843381
CONTACT:
Alex Thompson, The Wilderness Society, 202-429-3940, Alex_Thompson@tws.org
The Wilderness Society, founded in 1935, is the leading conservation organization working to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places. With more than one million members and supporters, The Wilderness Society has led the effort to permanently protect 111 million acres of wilderness and to ensure sound management of our shared national lands. www.wilderness.org
