Biodiversity Conservation Alliance

DEPARTMENT OF IINTERIOR STUDY SHOWS PREBLE'S MOUSE IS DISTINCT

The Preble's meadow jumping mouse, an indicator of the health of streamside habitats in the Rocky Mountain foothills of southeastern Wyoming and Colorado, is a distinct subspecies and deserves Endangered Species Act protection, concluded a recent study. Preble's was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1998 because of widespread habitat declines and threats from development in Colorado. The study, completed by the U.S. Geological Survey and funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, bolsters the need to continue protecting fragile, yet invaluable, streamside habitats. In southeastern Wyoming alone, streamside habitats comprise only around 2% of the entire landscape, yet provide habitat for 75% of all wildlife. Although it is claimed that agricultural uses have been halted, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has actually adopted a special rule exempting ranching and farming from protecting the Preble's and its habitat. To read an article in the Casper Star Tribune about the study, visit http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2006/01/26/news/wyoming/2d5f95d8bb765b83872571020004dabf.txt

STUDY SHOWS MASSIVE GAS-FIELD IMPACTS ON SAGE GROUSE

A groundbreaking study on the impacts of gas development on sage grouse in the Pinedale Anticline has shown harmful impacts much more severe than originally expected. The recent study found that drilling within 3.1 miles of a lek (breeding area and a hub of nesting grounds) harms populations of breeding grouse, and that after drilling and construction ceases, the presence of a producing gas well within 1.9 miles of a lek site has negative impacts on breeding males. Oil and gas development reduces survival rates and causes an exodus of grouse from development. If trends continue, sage grouse will be extinct in the Pinedale Anticline and Jonah Fields within 19 years. This study demonstrates conclusively that current sage grouse protection measures are not adequate to prevent the disappearance of the bird, and that stronger protections are needed.

The study was authored by Matt Holloran of the University of Wyoming's Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit and funded by the Bureau of Land Management and the oil and gas industry. You can read the entire study at http://www.voiceforthewild.org/SageGrouseStudies/.

BLACK HILLS DIPPER LEFT TO LANGUISH WITH NO PROTECTION

The American dipper, a declining aquatic songbird in the Black Hills and water quality indicator is not significant and therefore its extinction is acceptable, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. On January 26, the Service rejected a petition filed by BCA to protect the imperiled Black Hills population of American dipper under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, a safety net for wildlife on the brink of extinction. The Black Hills dipper is on the brink of extinction because of water pollution and stream habitat loss and degradation. Less than 100 birds are known and only one healthy population is known. With no other option, BCA plans to go to court to defend the critically imperiled Black Hills dipper. More information on the Black Hills population of American dipper can be found at http://www.voiceforthewild.org/bhnf/pubs/dipper_fact1.html.

CELEBRATE THE RED DESERT: FREE EVENTS IN LARAMIE AND AROUND WY

BCA and Friends of the Red Desert will be sponsoring a Town Meeting on February 8th, at The Old Train Depot, 1st and Kearney, in Laramie. The event is part of a state-wide celebration to commemorate the spirit of the Red Desert and to show support for protection of its most prized places which are now threatened by oil and gas development. The event will begin with an open house from 6 - 7pm, the Town Meeting from 7 - 8pm, and a reception from 8 - 9pm. Anyone who appreciates wild places should join us on this special evening, or join us around Wyoming on the following dates:

Rock Springs: Red Desert Dance. Santa Fe Grill, 1635 Elk St., Sat., Feb. 4th, 7-11pm.
Jackson: Red Desert Party. Snow King Resort, Timberline Room, Sun., Feb. 5th, 11am-1pm.
Wind River Reservation: Red Desert March and Feast. Meet at Blue Sky Hall to walk to Chief Washakie Plunge at 10am, Feast at Hot Springs at noon, Sat Feb 11th, 10am-2pm.
Lander: Red Desert Kids' Carnival. Lander Community Center, Sat., Feb 12th, 2-5pm.
For more info or questions, please visit http://www.voiceforthewild.org/invitation.html.

HOPE FOR ADOBE TOWN: LAST OIL AND GAS LEASE IN WSA EXPIRES

After over twenty years, the last oil and gas lease in Adobe Town Wilderness Study Area has expired. When the Bureau of Land Management established Wilderness Study Area protection for part of Adobe Town in the 1980s, there were many existing oil and gas leases, which were allowed to run their course, but no new leases were issued. It took several years following abandonment of the only well ever drilled for the lease and its sister parcels in Adobe Town to expire. The fact that wilderness qualities will be restored is a great sign, because only a little less than half of Adobe Town is protected within the Wilderness Study Area. The expiration of the leases shows that Adobe Town's unprotected wilderness lands stand a great chance of being saved through the Great Divide plan revision, even though much of it is currently leased for oil and gas exploration. For more info, please visit http://www.voiceforthewild.org/blm/news/n27jan06.html.

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO PROTECT DOUGLAS CREEK WATERSHED

A recent proposal to dredge Douglas Creek searching for Gold is a new threat to the health of a riparian area near the Bobbie Thomson campground in Medicine Bow National Forest. The proposed operations would release sediment into Douglas Creek and have other harmful impacts on this valuable forest watershed. The Forest Service can prevent mining operations on the forest if they do not comply with conservation law, or it can regulate them to minimize environmental impacts. Please take this opportunity to give your recommendations to the Forest Service to protect the Douglas Creek watershed. Comments are due on February 27, 2006 and can be submitted by mail to: Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests, ATTN Mike Winters, 2468 Jackson Street, Laramie, WY 82070. You can also fax them to (307) 745-2398 or email them to comments-rocky-mountain-medicine-bow-laramie@fs.fed.us. Copies of the scoping notice can be obtained at the Forest Service office on Jackson Street.

BCA WINS SPRING CREEK APPEAL

In a victory for the health of public grasslands, BCA successfully overturned a decision allowing domestic livestock grazing throughout the entire the Spring Creek Unit of the Thunder Basin National Grassland. The decision was overturned because alternatives that would better protect the environment were not considered. The Thunder Basin, which is located near Gillette, Wyoming and is managed by the Forest Service, has historically been overgrazed, contributing to declines in wildlife and loss of streamside habitats. The decision to allow grazing in the Spring Creek Unit, which was issued last fall, would have continued this trend. In response to an administrative appeal filed by BCA, the decision was overturned and the Forest Service now has to consider alternatives that ensure livestock grazing does not continue to degrade the health of the grassland.

OIL SHALE PROJECT KILLED IN KINNEY RIM PROPOSED WILDERNESS

Plans for heavy industrial impacts in one of the most pristine parts of the Red Desert have been abandoned. The Bureau of Land Management has rejected a proposal by Anadarko Petroleum to perform oil shale research and development in the Red Desert's Kinney Rim citizens' proposed wilderness. This was the only oil shale research and development proposal in Wyoming; six proposals in Colorado and 2 proposals in Utah will move forward. BCA worked behind the scenes to kill this project and we can all celebrate the fact that it will now be abandoned. For more info, please visit http://www.voiceforthewild.org/general/news/n24jan06.html.

Biodiversity Conservation Alliance
P.O. Box 1512, Laramie, WY 82073
(307) 742-7978 - maggie@voiceforthewild.org