Trump Administration Abandons Habitat Protections for Iconic Western Bird

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Forest Service today finalized its plan for managing the greater sage-grouse, along with hundreds of other species, on 5.2 million acres of Western lands.  The move unravels an existing conservation plan to preserve fragile habitat for this iconic bird.  That plan, issued in 2015, was painstakingly crafted over several years with input from a wide range of stakeholders.

The following is a statement from Bobby McEnaney, director of the Dirty Energy Project for the Natural Resources Defense Council:

“From our wildlands to our precious habitat and threatened iconic species, nature is bearing the brunt of the Trump administration’s reckless governance. This move by the Forest Service unravels carefully crafted safeguards to promote extractive industries’ interests. It runs roughshod over sensible policy, science, and the natural resources we all, collectively, own.”

The Trump administration acknowledged in October and December of 2017 that it is prioritizing the interests of the oil and gas industry over preserving habitat.

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC