The BLM is holding open houses for input on Wyoming’s Greater Sage Grouse Plans. This is crucial to protect 350 species in the sagebrush eco-system of Wyoming, including elk deer and proghorn. The exisiting plan is the result of the work of many stakeholders and was designed to keep the sage grouse populations healthy and off the Endangered Species List. The new process may put this progress in jepoardy.
Please Attend a the BLM’s Sage Grouse Meetings
Cheyenne @ Little America Nov 6, 4:00 PM- 7:00 PM
Pinedale BLM Field Office: Nov 8, 4:00- 7:00 PM
Talking Points for BLM Scoping Meetings
- Let the Bureau of Land Management know that you don’t want significant changes to the management plans.
- In addition, it is essential that Priority Habitat Management Areas (PHMAs) (and/or Core Habitat) are maintained and provided with the most protections.
- The plans need to retain measures that reduce habitat fragmentation such as no surface occupancy provisions for oil and gas development within PHMAs; no surface occupancy on development locations for wind, solar and transmission lines; and limitations on the amount of and timing of surface-disturbing activities, such as surface disturbance caps and buffers around leks.
- Also, mitigation is a necessary part of the management plans and the hierarchy should be retained – avoidance, minimization, and mitigation.
- I am an American, a public land user, and a person who values the sagebrush steppe.
- I only support targeted changes to resolve specific problems that are backed by past and current scientific information and that do not weaken conservation for sage-grouse and sagebrush.