“Obama Administration’s Land Use Plans Are One-Size-Fits-None”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today expressed his deep concerns about the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) newly released federal plan to manage the greater sage-grouse habitat.
“We can’t protect the greater sage-grouse in a checkerboard-like fashion — after all, the bird can’t tell the difference between federal, state and private lands. I have serious concerns that the Obama administration’s land-use plans will have a detrimental impact on Montana’s economy, our land users and Montanans’ way of life. It’s the people of Montana, not federal bureaucrats from Washington, D.C., who know best how to manage our state’s resources, land and wildlife. The Obama administration should implement Montana’s plan, which best addresses our state’s unique needs and can protect the greater sage-grouse, rather than forcing another Washington-driven, one-size-fits-none policy on Montanans.”
Daines is an original cosponsor of S. 1036, the Sage-Grouse Protection and Conservation Act, which would require the Department of the Interior to share scientific data with states, assist states in crafting and implementing their plans, and recognize the state plans for a minimum of six years. The Act empowers states to take the lead in the greater sage-grouse conservation while preventing a listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
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