Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today was joined by Senators Mark Udall (D-CO), Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Mike Lee (R-UT) and Representatives Scott Tipton (R-CO), Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and Jim Matheson (D-UT) in a bipartisan push to gather more public input on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) proposed rules for the Gunnison sage-grouse. The lawmakers are requesting FWS hold public hearings and extend the comment period for the proposal by 60 days.
FWS has proposed two rules that would list the Gunnison sage-grouse as an endangered species and would designate over 1.7 million acres of critical habitat in Western Colorado and Eastern Utah.
In a letter to FWS Prairie-Mountain Region Director Noreen Walsh, the lawmakers from Colorado and Utah wrote, “The proposal has engendered great interest and concern among several communities we represent. We feel that on any proposal with implications of this magnitude, the federal government should strive for maximum participation.”
The lawmakers have heard from energy producers, farmers and other constituents about their concerns with the FWS proposal.
Full Text of the Letter:
February 28, 2013
Dear Director Walsh:
We write to request public hearings and a 60-day extension of the comment period for Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposed rules for Gunnison sage-grouse. Pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA), these two rules propose to list the species as Endangered and designate 1,704,227 acres of critical habitat in Western Colorado and Eastern Utah. The proposal has engendered great interest and concern among several communities we represent.
We feel that on any proposal with implications of this magnitude, the federal government should strive for maximum public participation. We therefore request that your agency hold formal hearings on the matter and that you provide a full 60-day extension on both proposed rules on Gunnison sage-grouse.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.