The lawsuit centers on whether federal officials relied on the best available science when revising management plans. Conservation groups say the case could shape land use decisions on public lands for years to come.
The groups argue that the changes weakened land management plans covering roughly 71 million acres of habitat, leaving the land open to oil and gas drilling and development.
Erik Molvar, a biologist and executive director of the Western Watersheds Project, said the changes come at a critical moment for the species.
“By removing habitat protections, the agency immediately puts the bird at a much higher risk of extinction across its range,” Molvar said.
Molvar noted that the birds are already facing other pressures, including drought, wildfires, and climate change, which heighten concern over the reduced protections.
The Bureau of Land Management has not yet filed a response. In the meantime, millions of acres of sage-grouse habitat remain unprotected across the West, Molvar said.
The greater sage-grouse is famous for its elaborate mating dances and is considered an important indicator of the health of Western rangelands. Its population has declined over decades, but federal protections under the Obama administration had aimed to balance habitat conservation with energy development.
The recent rollback reversed many of those safeguards, leading conservation groups to file the lawsuit.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between KUNR, Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNC in Northern Colorado, KANW in New Mexico, Colorado Public Radio, KJZZ in Arizona and NPR, with additional support from affiliate newsrooms across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Eric and Wendy Schmidt.
