A final plan issued Friday weakens federal protections on 9 million acres in the West that were put in place under Obama to protect an iconic bird species
Male greater sage grouse gather near White Mountain to perform annual spring courtship in a high desert area in Wyoming.
“I will tell you, we wouldn’t work really, really hard to get seismic permits out if that area wasn’t going to be available,” Balash said during a question-and-answer session following his speech at the International Association of Geophysical Contractors conference in Houston. Interior has offered nearly 16.8 million acres of federal land for oil and gas leasing since Trump took office, according to the Center for Biological Diversity — a swath of land larger than the combined size of Maryland and New Jersey. Of those acres, more than 2.3 million were leased, and the department plans to auction off another 1.3 million acres in the spring.
On their expedition across what became the United States, explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark noted that flying sage grouse blackened the skies, leading to unconfirmed estimates that their historic numbers stood at 16 million. Since the bird’s habitat has been cut in half by human expansion and development, those changes, coupled with invasive species and disease, have shrunk their numbers to fewer than 500,000.
Sam Eaton, policy director and counsel to Idaho Gov. Brad Little , said in an interview Friday that the revisions reflect the collaborative process the state had launched under the previous administration that was upended shortly before the 2015 plan was finalized. That view was dismissed by a conservationist who has worked in the sagebrush sea for years. “It’s interesting, because we’ve had repeated letters sent to this administration by the most renowned sage grouse scientists urging them to not walk away from the most valuable habitat, to maintain a commitment to leasing and drilling outside the habitat — all the things that have been abandoned by this record of decision,” said Nada Culver, senior counsel for the Wilderness Society.
इंडिया ताज़ा खबर, इंडिया मुख्य बातें
Similar News:आप इससे मिलती-जुलती खबरें भी पढ़ सकते हैं जिन्हें हमने अन्य समाचार स्रोतों से एकत्र किया है।
Analysis | Trump spent Friday morning offering sympathy to himselfOver four tweets, the president offered his thoughts about his own dire plight.
और पढो »
Trump to sign first veto of his presidency Friday afternoonDonald Trump will sign the first veto of his presidency this afternoon, rejecting a congressional resolution overturning his decision to declare a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border
और पढो »
Donald Trump: 'I Don't Really' See A Rise In White NationalismTrump on whether he sees a rise in white nationalism: “I don’t really. I think it’s a small group of people that have very, very serious problems, I guess'
और पढो »
New filing alleges Donald Trump misused Trump Foundation funds for presidential campaignNew York Attorney General Letitia James filed the 37-page lawsuit, which seeks $2.8 million in restitution. The suit also requests an order banning Trump, as well as Donald Trump, Jr. Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump, from operating any charities in New York for 10 years.
और पढो »
New lawsuit alleges Donald Trump misused Trump Foundation funds for presidential campaignNew York Attorney General Letitia James filed the 37-page lawsuit, which seeks $2.8 million in restitution. The suit also requests an order banning Trump, as well as Donald Trump, Jr. Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump, from operating any charities in New York for 10 years.
और पढो »
Donald Trump Jr. mocks Cheney’s criticism of Trump foreign policyThe former vice president has questioned the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria and Trump’s hostility toward NATO.
और पढो »
A $325 Bible purportedly signed by President Trump joined dozens of autographed eBay ‘Trump collectibles’A copy of the Holy Bible purportedly signed by President Donald Trump sold for hundreds of dollars on eBay Monday, joining dozens of other autographed Trump collectibles for sale online.
और पढो »
Ivanka Trump has lied about her father's 'racist leanings' her whole life, a Trump biographer says“She has taken advantage of everything that her family name and her wealth offered,” Trump biographer Michael D’Antonio added during an appearance on CNN.
और पढो »
Ex-Mercenary CEO Erik Prince Admits To Trump Tower Meet With Don Jr., Saudi EmissaryErik Prince, former head of mercenary business Blackwater, revealed in abombshell interview Friday that he attended a meeting in Trump Tower withDonald Trump Jr
और पढो »