Feds want to save sage grouse without listing

Interior Secretary Sally Jewell told a meeting of Western governors Saturday in Las Vegas that the U.S. government’s goal is to find a way to save the sage grouse without having to list it as an endangered species. Jewell was meeting with Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval and other state leaders who object to listing the sage grouse, arguing it would lock up hundreds of thousands of acres and harm the mining, ranching and cattle industries while changing the way of life in the Silver State. The U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife and other agencies have been working with environmentalists and local authorities in 11 Western states to find a way to protect sage grouse habitat and preserve the species without a formal listing, Jewell said, speaking at a news conference. She said there’s a September 2015 deadline for Fish and Wildlife to make a decision on whether to list the bird as an endangered species and set aside protected habitat for it. “We want to create an environment where a listing is not warranted,” Jewell said. “So we’re all working with that common objective. ... It truly is epic collaboration. It’s not just the sage grouse that’s at stake. It’s the Western way of life that’s at stake.” Jewell’s comments came during a luncheon speech to a two-day winter meeting of the Western Governors Association. Sandoval, who is chairman of the association, hosted the conference at the Four Seasons...more