Daines Introduces Legislation to Allow State Management of Sage Grouse Conservation

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congressman Steve Daines and a group of western lawmakers today introduced the Sage Grouse Protection and Conservation Act. The bill would give states the opportunity to take the lead in Sage Grouse conservation, while balancing the needs of western citizens and their economies.

The Sage Grouse Protection and Conservation Act would prevent the Sage Grouse from being listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for 10 years and allow states to develop and implement their own conservation management plans that meet their unique needs. It encourages states to work with the Department of Interior and Agriculture to ensure that all concerns about the recovery of the Sage Grouse are met.

"As a fifth-generation Montanan, I know firsthand how damaging federal overreach can be to the folks who depend on our land and resources for their income and their way of life," said Congressman Steve Daines. "No Washington, D.C. bureaucrat cares about what happens in Montana as much as we do. Montanans are best equipped to manage and protect our resources and our wildlife, without destroying our economy or killing jobs. This bill will ensure Montanans, not federal bureaucrats, are empowered to find solutions that best fit our state's needs."

Sage grouse habitat encompasses 186 million acres of federal and private land across 11 states, including Montana. The listing of Sage Grouse under the ESA would have severe repercussions on domestic energy and agriculture production. Additionally, misguided federal actions could impact livestock and outdoor recreation industries, both of which are critical to the economy and way of life in Montana.

The most effective species preservation programs are locally-tailored and take unique ecological and topographical factors into consideration. Top-down programs from Washington, D.C. would be less effective and jeopardize the work states have already done to manage and preserve Sage Grouse habitat.

Daines has long been involved in efforts to balance Sage Grouse conservation with protecting Montana jobs. He held a public hearing in Billings on state and local efforts in land management to conserve species and balance responsible resource development and land use last September.

The bill is also cosponsored byRepresentatives Cory Gardner (R-CO), Rob Bishop (R-UT), and Scott Tipton (R-CO), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Chris Stewart (R-UT), and Jason Chaffetz (R-UT). Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), John Barrasso (R-WY), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Jim Risch (R-ID), have introduced a companion bill in the U.S. Senate.

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