I hope these issues spark violence and eco-terrorism. ***** you.
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West's agenda: habitat
State takes lead role on sage grouse plan
By Gargi Chakrabarty, Rocky Mountain News
June 11, 2005
On Monday, Gov. Bill Owens will announce the creation of the Sagebrush
Conservation Council during the annual conference of the Western
Governors Association in Breckenridge.
Owens is the association's incumbent chairman. His successor, Arizona
Gov. Janet Napolitano, will take over at the end of the conference.
Governors from nine Western states and U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel
Bodman are scheduled to participate in the conference, which runs
Sunday through Tuesday.
"The purpose of the council will be to try and put together a plan to
preserve the sage grouse habitats," said Dawn Taylor Owens, spokeswoman
of Colorado's Department of Natural Resources. "Colorado will take a
leadership role in the council."
Taylor said the council, basically a task force consisting of members
from 11 states, will assist local groups in implementing their plans to
conserve the sage grouse habitats. The council also would coordinate
the local, state and regional plans.
Jim Sims, executive vice president of Partnership for the West, which
lobbied to keep the sage grouse off the endangered species list, said:
"Now that we have removed the threat to the West of the regulatory
straightjacket of the Endangered Species Act, people across the region
can continue to roll up their sleeves and work to ensure the future of
this species."
Colorado businesses had feared that an ESA listing of the greater sage
grouse could lead to millions of dollars in losses and stunt
development plans, especially natural gas drilling in the Rockies.
Farmers were concerned that a listing would affect land management,
while Realtors thought it would stunt housing development along the
Front Range.
Population of the small bird that has a long tail has been steadily
declining over the past 20 years, mostly due to overgrazing and
development. Its habitat is spread over 110 million acres in 11 states,
including northwestern Colorado.
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