Editorial: A 'stupid bird'?

Environmentalists have identified the ground-dwelling sage grouse as a promising pawn in their drive to force productive users off land through much of the West. A listing of the bird as endangered or threatened could cripple mining, ranching and energy development over vast tracts where the creature is now or once was found–even areas where it can't be proved indigenous. Thus, Gov. Brian Sandoval last week re-established Nevada's greater sage grouse advisory committee. The nine-person panel–whose members have yet to be named–is charged with recommending an action plan by July 31. Concern about the sage grouse already has stalled some energy projects. Last month, the BLM removed 33 parcels amounting to 61,000 acres of public land in Nevada from an oil and gas lease sale because they are within sage grouse habitat. That decision came shortly after BLM deferred ruling on the proposed China Mountain Wind Energy project on the Nevada-Idaho line until the agency completes a study of the potential environmental impact of that project on sage grouse. News of that delay was met with anger in Elko County, where one county commissioner said the prospect of high-paying jobs in the region could be killed by a "stupid bird." Rep. Amodei said wildfires are the biggest threat to the bird. In fact, a Nevada study that placed chicken eggs in mock sage grouse nests had to be ended early when virtually all of the eggs were eaten by ravens or coyotes–predators that have experienced population explosions as ranchers have increasingly been driven off Nevada lands. Coincidentally, that reduced livestock grazing has allowed a buildup of excessive dry grasses that fuel bigger wildfires...more