The Trump Administration VS. Wyoming Sage Grouse

The fight over managing sage grouse in states like Wyoming continues.

The question is, will the election of Donald Trump change that outcome?

Recent Bureau of Land Management (BLM) data shows a downward trend in the sage grouse population over the last few years.

“The U.S. Geological Survey analyzed state-collected lek data and reported estimated range-wide population declines of nearly 80 percent from 1966-2021 and of 41 percent from 2002-2021,” according to the BLM.

The state of Wyoming has not officially responded. They are still reviewing the data.

“I haven't read all of it. There's no way you can read all of it from Friday to now,” said Bob Budd, who chairs  Wyoming Sage Grouse Implementation Team.

States like Wyoming have implemented plans to protect the sage grouse which, so far, do not seem to be working.

“Sage grouse populations have continued to decline, and recent science shows that we need to once again update our plans to allow decisive action across state boundaries to achieve lasting benefits for sage grouse and sagebrush habitat,” (BLM press release).

Under the Biden administration, Federal money has poured in to subsidize wind and solar activity across the state.

Wind and solar take up large swaths of valuable sage grouse habitat.

Under a Trump administration, those subsidies are likely to end, but the door will open to allow more drilling and digging for oil, gas, and coal.

So-called "environmental groups" who are opposed to oil, gas, and coal have remained silent on wind and solar farms.

So, will anything change for the sage grouse under a Trump administration?

Either way, that land will be used.