Denver, CO. – The Bureau of Land Management today released proposed changes to the greater sage-grouse conservation plans that threaten to undermine years of collaboration to save the bird and the Western sagebrush lands crucial to the survival of more than 350 other species.

Tracy Stone-Manning, the National Wildlife Federation’s associate vice president for public lands, said:

“Westerners worked hard on a compromise to keep the sage-grouse from being listed as an endangered species and to conserve sagebrush country. We’re still reviewing the proposed amendments announced today, but we remain convinced that not only is this an unnecessary extra process, some of the changes could undo all that hard work and put us on a path that no one wanted – the bird on the endangered species list and the use of our public lands restricted. It’s a disappointing and dangerous mistake.”