Protections for western bird will get new look under Biden
ABC News
The Biden administration is considering new measures to protect a bird species once found across much of the U.S. West
BILLINGS, Mont. -- The Biden administration on Friday said it will consider new measures to protect greater sage grouse, a bird species once found across much of the U.S. West that has suffered drastic declines in recent decades due to oil and gas drilling, grazing, wildfires and other pressures.
The announcement of a range-wide habitat evaluation for greater sage grouse came after the Trump administration tried to scale back conservation efforts adopted when Biden was vice president in 2015.
A federal court blocked Trump's changes. But Biden administration officials said the attempt set back conservation efforts — even as the chicken-sized bird's habitat was further ravaged by wildfires, invasive plant species and continued development.
Industry groups have resisted further restrictions, such as wide buffers where drilling would be prohibited. Biologists have said those buffers are needed to protect sage grouse breeding areas where the birds engage in elaborate annual mating rituals.
