Source: Western Watershed Project
“These bills would do the opposite of what their titles suggest by handing over management of your federal public lands to states…”
Greater sage-grouse in flight © Ken Cole/WWP
Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) and Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID) have introduced legislation that is an extreme and irresponsible attack on your public lands and the wildlife they support. This bill has the Orwellian title of the “Greater Sage Grouse Protection and Recovery Act,” (S.273, H.R.527).
These bills would do the opposite of what their titles suggest by handing over management of your federal public lands to states that want more industrial destruction of sage grouse habitats, and by blocking conservation efforts under the Endangered Species Act and other federal laws that protect our environment. A more accurate title would by the “Greater Sage Grouse Extinction Act.”
Tell your elected representatives that you support sage grouse and oppose the gutting of federal environmental protections!
This bill would undermine the most essential environmental protections on federal lands. State sage grouse plans are far weaker on habitat protection than the recent federal sage grouse plans (which are not biologically adequate but, for now, that another matter). Where state and federal plans differ, the Bishop-Risch extinction act would give state governors in pro-industry states like Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho control over all decisions on federal public lands that involve sage grouse – that’s virtually every public land decision!
At the same time, this bill would exempt such state decisions on public lands from basic environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act. That means no examination of environmental impacts, no weighing of environmentally responsible alternatives, and no public input on the decisions that determine the fate of your public lands. And to cap it all off, this bill would block lawsuits on these decisions, meaning that state governors could violate federal environmental laws as much as they like without worrying that their actions will be overturned by the courts!
This bill also attacks the Endangered Species Act by preventing the greater sage-grouse from being protected under the ESA before 2027, regardless of how low their populations go, or how much scientific evidence shows that urgent protections are needed to avert extinction.
Make a phone call to your Representative and Senators or write and urge them to vote against extinction and stand up for our federal environmental safeguards!
Phone calls are even better than emails. Please call or write today!
Categories: The Force of the Horse, Uncategorized
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Thanka Republican for all the damage to everything that’s been good in America. From the safety of its people to the safety of the environment. All our horses both wild and domestic, the burros smd every other member of the equidae family is at severe risk. We must fight even harder than we did for the ACA. We must hand the Republicans a defeat on all their attacks. And these Congressional leaders need to stop putting their phones on hold! The Whimps even called the police on the elderly because they demanded town meetings to voice their concerns. Special ele tions are coming up in certain states for replacements and new elections in 2018. Everyone needs to get on board and elect people who are not Terrorists of the American people and its environment! And so many people complained about Hillary Clinton. This all would not be happening now had she taken her rightfully elected position as President of the United States. Get out on those picket lines and take your signs out to the rallies scheduled all over the country. That’s one right the Dictator and his Deplorables hasn’t taken from us yet!
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Federal land should stay that way, Wyoming , Utah and Idaho can’t just destroy what environmentalists have worked so hard to preserve. This includes endangered species, among other things. Do not allow this to happen . I am asking you to do the right thing and keep Federal lands where they have stronger policies. Although not perfect is way better than letting this happen and having States do harm to years of hard work.
Thanks
Lorie Schoen
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Another way to make your opinion known is on Popvox & go to the bill number & OPPOSE it AND send a message in your own words!
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This is why they should have been listed as endangered. Trying to compromise with those who only care about profit first was terribly naïve, and has allowed this. Changing the ESA will be a lot more difficult, but now – it’s as easy as pie. This is why I cannot give kudos to the last administration, ecologically clueless. Ken Salazar was tasked with developing the public lands for renewable energy, which is also a disaster. 😦
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^^sorry, that should read ‘if the sage grouse had been listed as endangered, tampering with the ESA would be a lot more difficult to do.’
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The People’s Treasure
by Michael Leunig
They’re privatising things we own together. They’re flogging off the people’s common ground.
And though we’re still connected by the weather They say that sharing things is now unsound.
They’re lonelifying all the public spaces. They’re rationalising swags and billabongs.
They’re awfulising nature’s lovely places, Dismantling the dreaming and the songs.
Their macho fear of flabby soft sensations Makes them pine for all things hard and lean.
They talk of foreign market penetrations And throbbing private sectors. It’s obscene.
They’re basically unloving types of creatures With demons lurking underneath their beds.
You’ll notice that a necktie always features To keep their hearts quite separate from their heads.
So if they steal away the people’s treasure. And bring the jolly swagman to his knees.
They can’t remove the simple common pleasure Of loathing public bastards such as these
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Crucifixion by wind turbine is what I recommend, high on a ridgeline like in biblical days. (I’ve been watching Game of Thrones too much!)
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