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Law School Professor Calls Sage Grouse Decision A States' Rights Victory

Environmental groups are suing to force the Obama administration to impose more restrictions on oil and gas drilling, grazing and other activities blamed for the decline of greater sage grouse across the American West.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services
Greater sage grouse

Tuesday’s announcement that the federal government won't add the greater sage grouse to the endangered species list is being called a historic decision. That’s because the threat of listing spurred state governments, ranchers, the energy industry and environmentalists to come up alternative strategies to protect the bird. Those strategies are being praised by many, but not everyone.

For perspective on why the government’s sage grouse decision is such a big deal, we talked to University of Montana Law School Professor Martha Williams.

Williams has worked for federal land management agencies and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Williams teaches environmental, wildlife and public lands law at the Alexander Blewett III School of law at the University of Montana.
 

 

Eric Whitney is NPR's Mountain West/Great Plains Bureau Chief, and was the former news director for Montana Public Radio.
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