WASHINGTON — In a move that critics worry could restrict oil drilling and grazing on public lands in Utah and other Western states, the federal government decided Friday that the sage grouse is worthy of protection under the Endangered Species Act.
However, it delayed actually listing the desert-dwelling bird as endangered or threatened. For now, the sage grouse will merely be a "candidate" for listing while officials plan to focus their limited staff and resources on other species that face even higher risk of extinction.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said that split decision buys time for states, ranchers and the energy industry to work together to avoid perhaps the need for listing by taking voluntary action now to protect the bird and its dwindling habitat.
"This gives us a window of several years to make sure that we have the plans together to ensure the twin goals here, which are: First, make sure the sage grouse is protected and doesn't have to be put on the endangered species list. … Second, we are able to move forward with continued use and development of our public lands," Salazar said.
He noted that sage grouse populations have declined by 90 percent over the past century and its habitat has been reduced in size by half. But he said efforts by states have stabilized populations of the sage grouse over the past decade.
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