U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Wildlife | Greater Sage-grouse Conservation 		 
Idaho
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:: Sage-grouse 

Icon of Western sagebrush landscapes

sage-grouse with fanned tail in silhouette

Current BLM management policy for protecting and managing Greater sage-grouse habitat is based on three principles:

  • Protecting unfragmented habitats,
  • Minimizing habitat loss and fragmentation, and
  • Managing habitats to maintain, enhance or restore conditions that meet the sage-grouse's life-history needs.

The policy directs field-level officials to apply specific policies and procedures across multiple programs when considering any public-land activites that could affect the sage-grouse or its habitat. 


 


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SPOTLIGHT

Interim Management POLICY :: 2012-2014
Rights-of Way & Sage-grouse Habitat

The BLM grants rights-of-way (ROWs) for many different uses of public lands.  ROWs usually consist of strips or corridors of land that may themselves be limited in size but which can nonetheless fragment the land though which they run.

 


Keeping things connected

The BLM and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have identified fragmentation as a primary threat to sage-grouse and their habitat.  So, current BLM policy addresses the authorization of ROWs in priority sage-grouse habitat. 

When processing a ROW application, the BLM works with the applicant on a number of issues, including how best to avoid or minimize loss or fragmentation of sage-grouse habitat.  Reasonable possibilities for siting the project outside of priority habitat areas or within a designated ROW corridor are part of the NEPA analysis of the proposal.


:: Avoid  :: Minimize  :: Mitigate

For large ROWs – for example, those associated with wind and solar energy develoment, pipelines and power transmission lines – the BLM requires measures that minimize impacts to sage-grouse habitat.  
In addition to this kind of onsite mitigation, the BLM develops and considers offsite mitigation measures, in cooperation with the applicant and state wildlife managers.   

Unless the BLM and state wildlife agency staff determine that such mitigation measures would cumulatively maintain or enhance sage-grouse habitat, the decision on the proposed ROW is sent to a group composed of the appropriate BLM State Director, the Director of the relevant state wildlife agency and a representative of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

If this group cannot agree on appropriate mitigation for the proposed ROW, then the decision goes to the BLM sage-grouse National Policy Team for their review.  The Team may also involve the State wildlife agency Director, if appropriate. 

If the Policy Team cannot agree, it will seek a final decision from 
the BLM Director. 

For ROWs less than 1 mile in length or which disturb less than 2 surface acres, the BLM develops mitigation measures in cooperation with the applicant and state wildlife managers that would cumulatively maintain or enhance sage-grouse habitat.

 

  
power transmission line


 

wind trubine array


   Maintaining and restoring high-quality habitat for Greater sage-grouse is part of the BLM's mission.  

Conserving these habitats is important for people with any number of interests: wildlife, energy production and security, agriculture and livestock, recreation, and the vitality and well-being of the West's communities.

      Managing the public lands to benefit sage-grouse ultimately benefits all users of these lands.

Portions of 14 Western states once provided year-round food, shelter and breeding grounds for Centrocercus urophasianus, the Greater sage-grouse. Pressure from urbanization, wildfire, recreation, energy development, livestock grazing, invasive weeds and disease have shrunk these historical habitats, such that only portions of 11 states still have lands for the bird to call home. As a result, their numbers have declined by about 40% since the 1970s. As few as 200,000 may be left.

As manager of more remaining Greater sage-grouse habitat than any other government agency, the BLM is taking a coordinated, Bureau-wide approach to protecting intact habitat, avoiding or minimizing further habitat loss, and managing habitats to restore or maintain favorable conditions.

 
Last updated: 03-02-2012