SE Wyoming News

Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis and Congressional Western Caucus Chair Dan Newhouse have expressed their concerns regarding the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) final Greater Sage-Grouse Resource Management Plan Amendment. In a letter addressed to BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning, both leaders criticized the plan's approach and potential impact on western states.

Cynthia Lummis stated, "While the Biden-Harris administration spends its final days catering to its radical climate change base, farmers, ranchers and landowners across the west will bear the consequences of its catastrophic failures for years to come." She emphasized her disapproval of what she described as decision-making by "unelected D.C. bureaucrats" over local experts in Wyoming.

Dan Newhouse also voiced his opposition, saying, "BLM’s sage-grouse proposal implements an unworkable one-size-fits-all approach to population management that will fail landowners across the west." He joined Lummis in urging for state and local control over population management.

The plan is set to impact sage-grouse habitats in several states including Wyoming, California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Previously in March, both Lummis and Newhouse requested an extension of the comment period for this plan to allow more input from those directly affected.

In October 2023, Jim Risch led a letter advocating for keeping the greater sage-grouse off the endangered species list. Additionally, Lummis had previously written to a Senate subcommittee in July 2023 to urge against listing the species as endangered.

A full copy of their letter can be accessed online.