Federal auction sells leasing rights on thousands of acres of prime sage-grouse habitat
Source: Washington Post
Kathy Love 3 hrs ago
© David Zalubowski/AP A federal auction of oil and gas leases on hundreds of thousands of acres in Wyoming includes land considered critical for sage grouse, which has been in sharp decline in recent years.
Leasing rights on western lands with some of the worlds highest densities of sage grouse were sold this week to energy developers for as little as $2 an acre the result of a recent Trump administration directive to roll back Obama-era protections for the iconic bird.
Thirty-one parcels in Wyoming containing 57,800 acres of prime sage-grouse habitat are among those being auctioned online by the federal Bureau of Land Management. Conservationists call the area the golden triangle because of its importance for the species, which has suffered a sharp decline in the past 15 years as oil and gas extraction expanded rapidly in the grouses historic range.
The administration and the energy industry say federal and state restrictions on well densities and surface construction are adequate to maintain the bird populations.
But conservationists sharply disagree. Brian Rutledge, vice president of the National Audubon Society, contends the birds are at tremendous risk because of the leases. I can tell you with certainty that the Wyoming parcels auctioned this week were the most important habitat of all, he said.
Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/federal-auction-sells-leasing-rights-on-thousands-of-acres-of-prime-sage-grouse-habitat/ar-BBUgKQe?li=BBnb7Kz
DeminPennswoods
(15,286 posts)let that sink in.
sinkingfeeling
(51,457 posts)Bayard
(22,075 posts)tRump: Destroying species is our policy.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)And the 'liberal' media of course won't say a f***ing peep about this, either.
God I hate this motherf****r beyond all words ...
Worried senior
(1,328 posts)find words to describe how much I despise him.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)MBS
(9,688 posts)To say that this is an outrageously irresponsible, short-sighted, and evil act cannot even begin to describe the true depths of their depravity and greed.
I hope there is something left of this country to rescue by the time we can finally oust these criminals and vandals
ancianita
(36,060 posts)bluestarone
(16,959 posts)That's all these Russian fuckers know what to do!!!!!!!!!
Paladin
(28,262 posts)Damn sorry to see this happen.