Today the Bureau of Land Management released records of decision (RODs) amending the National Greater Sage-Grouse Planning Strategy. Revisions to the Obama-era plans will lessen protections for the sage-grouse on tens of millions of acres across the West.
Jamie Rappaport Clark, president and CEO for Defenders of Wildlife, issued this statement:
“Once again the Trump administration demonstrates that it is willing to bend to the will of Big Oil, even at the cost of sage-grouse and their habitat, and the western communities and sustainable economies that depend on these public resources. It’s tragic to see so much progress on sage-grouse conservation undone by these roll backs. Acting Secretary of the Interior Bernhardt characterized these cuts as ‘sanding the rough edges’ of these plans, but this is in fact a hatchet job on sage-grouse conservation.”
Defenders of Wildlife is celebrating 75 years of protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.2 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit defenders.org/newsroom and follow us on Twitter @Defenders.