Industry and environmentalists share dislike for federal sage grouse plan

Environmentalists, ranchers and oil companies have found a rare point of consensus. All strongly dislike a new Department of Interior plan to save the sage grouse, a chicken-sized bird that could be on its way to the endangered species list unless a plan can first be devised to save it.  But that's where the similarities end. Environmentalists, in a recently filed protest, said the government strategy ignored its own scientists by keeping vital habitat open to drilling.  Cowboys and rig hands see measures to protect the grouse as a restrictive burden that could greatly shackle their respective industries.  Caught in the middle is Gov. Matt Mead, who has applauded the federal government for following Wyoming's lead in trying to balance conservation with economic development. Mead nonetheless filed his own protest to the federal plan, criticizing the bureau's proposal to recommend 252,000 acres be made unavailable to mining, along with changes to leasing policies for oil and gas development and grazing. Jeremiah Rieman, the governor's top policy adviser on natural resource issues, said Washington's plan deviates from Wyoming's strategy in lots of little ways. Add them all up, he said, and it could do great harm to the state...more