Silt—Feathers have been ruffled once again over the rare, odd-looking bird with the strange mating ritual; the Greater Sage Grouse. Following the orders of U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, the Bureau of Land Management published a Draft Environmental Impact Analysis to change Colorado’s 2015 Resource Management Plan for the ground-dwelling bird. David Boyd with the BLM says Zinke’s goal is to better align the plan with Colorado”s interests and desires. Garfield County has spent millions of dollars over the years on scientific research refuting the federal government’s data on sage grouse numbers and habitat. Commission Chairman John Martin says the latest EIS is another example of how the governor and the BLM continue to ignore the input of local governments. Several public meetings will be held by the BLM during the public comment period that ends August 2nd. The BLM expects to publish a final EIS and plan amendments by October.
