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Dodged the Bullet |
March 6, 2010
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Guest blog by hellraiser. Thank you.
Western ranchers, hunters, fisherpeople, off-road travelers, hikers, energy companies and everybody else who uses federal land dodged a bullet when the U.S. Department of Interior, under the leadership of Colorado's own Ken Salazar, decided this past week to tread a compromise line on sage grouse.
The sage grouse numbers have been declining since the settlement of the West, primarily due to the falling amount of sagebrush growing on the land because of development of all sorts, including ranching. The birds used to thrive in the millions, but today have dwindled to an estimated 500,000 across its multi-state western range. Many environmentalist have been clamoring for listing sage grouse as an endangered species, which would bring a giant federal hammer down on the western economy. A few years ago, however, joint "working groups" composed of environmental reps, ranchers, recreational users and energy companies began working cooperatively on strategies to save the bird.
Often at considerable expense, they've moved fences and power lines so predator birds lack handy perches from which to lurk and swoop on sage grouse breeding grounds. Oil and gas roads, pipelines, rigs and other equipment are placed away from the leks, and drilling activities are prohibited during the sage grouse breeding and nesting seasons. So are specific ranching activities and recreational land uses. The reason for all this cooperation is simple: nobody wants to see sage grouse listed.
Salazar recognized the cooperation and decided to give the effort more time to work. From reaction so far, he may have found the rare compromise that isn't immediately denounced by all sides. Oil and gas association trade groups didn't come unglued; instead, they voiced encouragement. Strict conservationists, too, pledged continued effort.
As a retired northwestern Colorado man, Allan Reishus, told the Denver Post, "We've got a big gun hanging over our head -- the federal government. If, in a year or two, we're not making progress in protecting this species and its habitat, the federal government will tell us how to do it. And I'm not a fan of the federal government telling us how to do things here in the West."
We can only hope that all those involved can continue to play well together, or the feds will stomp all over the sandbox.
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