Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Mail Tribune 100, Feb. 9, 1916 ... Oregon and Alaska lift suspension of troubled insurance carrier Moda ... Oregon refuge occupier releases videos mocking FBI ... Mail Tribune 100, Feb. 9, 1916 ... Oregon and Alaska lift suspension of troubled insurance carrier Moda ... Oregon refuge occupier releases videos mocking FBI ... WILDFIRE STRATEGY Government releases wildfire plan to protect struggling bird in West Experts say restrictions could damage states' economies Comment By Keith Ridler and Matt Volz The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Keith Ridler and Matt Volz The Associated Press Posted May. 19, 2015 at 3:46 PM By Keith Ridler and Matt Volz The Associated Press Posted May. 19, 2015 at 3:46 PM » Social News BOISE, Idaho — A federal wildfire strategy released Tuesday aims to protect the West's sagebrush country that is home to a struggling bird species whose potential listing as a threatened or endangered species already has delayed energy projects and oil and gas deals. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell was in Boise to announce the plan making greater sage grouse habitat a priority for fire prevention and response, focusing mainly on the Great Basin region of Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Oregon and California. The new strategy comes as the federal government and Western states scramble to implement plans meant to halt the decline of sage grouse populations and habitat without having to list the species as threatened or endangered. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is under a court order to decide by Sept. 30 whether the sage grouse merits protections from the Endangered Species Act. A bill passed by Congress in December would prevent the Fish and Wildlife Service from spending any money on protecting the bird, regardless of the agency's findings. The report doesn't directly say whether money and resources would be shifted from other areas to better protect sage grouse habitat. Jewell addressed the issue by saying human lives come first in fire protection, but that homeowners near forested areas must do their part. "The priority we have is still going to be for human life and property. But I will say this: That homeowners who are in the wildland-urban interface have a personal responsibility to make their houses fire-safe and defensible," Jewell said. John Freemuth, a Boise State University professor and public lands expert, said it is important for government officials to show that making sage grouse habitat a priority won't mean a reduction in fire protection for other areas. "They've got to have a way to make it clear to the people on the ground, at least on the fire side of it, there will be less picking and choosing about which fires are important and which crews go where," he said. Just the possibility of an Endangered Species Act listing has delayed the development of wind farms and the sale of oil and gas leases in areas occupied by the birds. Experts say the restrictions that would come with protecting the wide-ranging birds could damage the economies of the 11 states where they are found. The 82-page Interior Department plan centers on how to prevent wildfires from consuming broad swaths of sage grouse habitat. The wildlife service's decision could be affected if there is widespread destruction during the upcoming fire season in a region where drought conditions are worsening. Nearly 3.8 million acres of greater-sage grouse habitat has burned in the West since 2012, according to the Interior Department. The strategy includes preventative measures to protect and rebuild sagebrush habitat, such as removing invasive weeds, building areas known as fuel breaks that have fewer flammable materials and replanting sagebrush. It also sets rural communities and landscapes as priorities for responding to fires, and it seeks to target funding and resources to "specific high value rangelands." By Keith Ridler and Matt Volz The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Keith Ridler and Matt Volz The Associated Press Posted May. 19, 2015 at 3:46 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501