Amodei Successfully Includes One-Year Sage Hen Delay in Interior Appropriations Bill
Press Release
Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-2) announced today the successful inclusion of language to the FY 2015 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill to delay for one year any potential Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing of the sage hen.
The measure would apply to the greater sage-grouse, bi-state distinct population segment of greater sage-grouse, Columbia basin distinct population segment of greater sage-grouse and Gunnison sage-grouse.
"More time is needed to convince the Department of the Interior, which controls the vast majority of the sage hen habitat, to undertake the necessary work to conserve the resource and prevent the ESA listing," said Amodei. "Interior needs to stop ignoring its financial responsibility while simultaneously attempting to saddle state and private landowners with the obligation to fund fuels management and habitat restoration projects that are absolutely the responsibility of the federal government. Until that happens, funding for any potential ESA rule with respect to the sage hen should be withheld."
The sage hen issue has been a priority of Amodei's, as an ESA listing would severely restrict multiple use across Nevada's public and privates lands, including recreation, ranching, mining, energy production and other economic activities. The ESA listing would also fail to save the sage hen habitat, which is threatened primarily by wildland fire and invasive species.
The following language and bill draft were marked up by the subcommittee today.
SAGE-GROUSE
SEC. 117. None of the funds made available by this or any other Act may be used by the Secretary of the Interior to write or issue pursuant to section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533)-- (1) a proposed rule for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus); (2) a proposed rule for the Columbia basin distinct population segment of greater sage-grouse; (3) a final rule for the bi-state distinct population segment of greater sage-grouse; or (4) a final rule for Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus).
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