DENVER – The decision by the Biden administration to honor court rulings and begin reviewing the updates to the 2015 sage grouse plans is a tremendous win for sage grouse and the 350 other species that depend on the unique sagebrush ecosystem for survival.

“Two recent government studies have confirmed that sage grouse populations are in trouble. After four years of an administration that ignored sage grouse protections for the sake of its “energy dominance” agenda, it’s time to update the common-sense plans which were developed by a bipartisan group of Western governors, industry representatives, community leaders, and conservationists,” said Mary Greene, public lands attorney for the National Wildlife Federation. “The 2015 plans protect priority sage grouse habitat while balancing many economic interests of the West and avoiding a costly Endangered Species Act listing.”