PRAIRIE DOG POISONING DEADLINE EXTENDED

 

APPEAL SPARES BEAVER RIM FROM BAD PLAN

The Beaver Rim area, designated by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern, was threatened by Union Telephone's plans to build a cell phone tower, roads, and buildings and to bury power lines. The communications company challenged the BLM for opposing their plans, and BCA and Wyoming Outdoor Council jumped into the fray to support the BLM's decision to protect Beaver Rim. On February 19, 2008, the Interior Board of Land Appeals issued its decision to favor the BLM, BCA and WOC. Beaver Rim is home to Native American cultural sites and a host of rare and sensitive plant species, including the desert yellowhead, a rare plant that grows nowhere else in the world. The Rim is also crucial winter range for mule deer, elk and pronghorn; and it supports a number of raptors, including golden eagles, prairie falcons, red-tailed hawks and American kestrels. The area was set aside in 1987 as an ACEC to protect these special resources. Union Telephone has other options for tower locations and BCA was proud to support this good decision on behalf of the Wyoming BLM.

 

GOOD NEWS FOR LYNX, PRAIRIE DOG AND GROUSE

Canada Lynx Critical Habitat Expanded... But Not Enough BCA is pleased that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently proposed to expand designations of critical habitat into western Wyoming, including key wildlife areas like the Mount Leidy Highlands and the Wyoming range. But if the lynx is to recover throughout its historic range, the Service needs to designate critical habitat in Colorado and Southern Wyoming where lynx have been reintroduced and are currently breeding. To prevent weakening of the population Southern Rockies due to inbreeding, southern populations must have access to populations to the north. Recognizing its importance, the Forest Service has already designated lynx habitat in the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.

Please send your comments before April 28, 2008. Congratulate the Service for doing the right thing by expanding critical habitat into Wyoming, and let them know that critical habitat must be designated in Wyoming's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest and Colorado. Mail Comments to the Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222, Arlington, VA 22203. Comments and information may be submitted electronically at http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=SubmitComment&o=09000064803cf6fb.

White-tailed Prairie Dog Gets Second Chance for Protection

In 2002, a coalition of conservation groups lead by Center for Native Ecosystems and including BCA petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the white-tailed prairie dog under the Endangered Species Act.  Under political pressure, U.S. Fish and Wildlife initially denied protection but recently settled in a lawsuit filed in November 2007 by Center for Native Ecosystems, WildEarth Guardians, Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, and Terry Tempest Williams.  Fish and Wildlife agreed to overturn the politically motivated decision denying the white-tailed prairie dog consideration for Endangered Species protection.  The Service will initiate its review by May 1, 2008 and will determine whether Endangered Species Act protection is necessary for the prairie dog by June 1, 2010.  Based on this review, the Service will publish their determination of whether Endangered Species Act protection is necessary by June 1, 2010. 

Sage Grouse Science Leaps over Politics in Leap Year, on Leap Day

A U.S. District Court Judge on February 29 2008 upheld an agreement between conservation groups and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over the greater sage grouse.  The agreement the Service had sought to break requires them to consider a new scientific sage grouse report to be available in November and to offer the public a 60-day comment period.  Scolding Fish and Wildlife for seeking to dishonor the agreement, Judge Lynn Winmill, also cited “inexcusable conduct” by former Deputy Assistant Interior Secretary, Julie MacDonald.  MacDonald resigned under fire for using politics to taint results and conclusions of scientific studies.  This is a huge victory for science over politics within the agency.  BCA will announce the comment period once it is determined by Fish and Wildlife.

 

JONAH DESTRUCTION EXPANSION PLANNED

For anyone who believed EnCana when they said that they "only" wanted to erase the 33,000 acres of sagebrush habitat in the Jonah Field, the news that the Jonah Field is expanding to neighboring lands will be a sobering wake-up call.  The "Normally Pressured Lance" project has just been announced by the BLM, to drill 85 new wells on over 70,000 acres of public land immediately southwest of Jonah.  These lands may include areas targeted for "off-site mitigation" projects that are being funded to compensate for the habitat destruction in the Jonah Field.  In addition, Sun Cal Energy Corporation is considering an additional drilling project southeast of the Jonah Field.  To learn more about the spread of Upper Green oil and gas drilling beyond the Jonah and Pinedale Anticline Fields, visit http://www.voiceforthewild.org/general/news/n27February08.html.

 

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED

The important work and successes we report on every month is only possible because of your steadfast support. Please go to our website and make a donation today. Thank you so much for supporting wildlife and wild places with your dollars.