POLISCOPE
Back to feed
FEDERALhearing transcript

Congressional Hearing on State-Led Sage-Grouse Recovery

Original title: OVERSIGHT HEARING ON EMPOWERING STATE BASED MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS FOR GREATER SAGE GROUSE RECOVERY

January 1, 2018

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

The Frame

What this does

This hearing explores potential changes to how the greater sage-grouse is protected, which could alter land-use regulations and conservation requirements for residents and industries in Western states.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Western state residents

Changes to sage-grouse management policies may impact land-use, grazing, and development rights in their regions.

State natural resource departments

These agencies would be responsible for implementing and managing recovery plans if authority is shifted from the federal government.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2018.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Committee on Natural Resources held an to discuss shifting the management of greater sage-grouse recovery efforts from federal oversight to state-based solutions. The hearing featured testimony from state officials in Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and Montana regarding local management strategies.

Key Facts

  • The hearing was held on October 25, 2017, by the House Committee on Natural Resources.
  • The primary subject was the empowerment of state-based management solutions for the recovery of the greater sage-grouse.
  • Witnesses included state-level officials from Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and Montana.
  • The Committee adopted a rule limiting oral opening statements to the Chairman, Ranking Member, and Vice Chair to expedite witness testimony.
  • Representative Amodei of Nevada was granted unanimous consent to participate in the hearing.
  • Additional materials were submitted for the record, including documents from the Wilderness Society and the Department of the Army.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of this hearing?
The hearing was held to discuss the effectiveness and feasibility of allowing individual states to manage the recovery of the greater sage-grouse rather than relying on federal management.
Who testified at the hearing?
Testimony was provided by state officials including the Speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives, the Deputy Director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources, the Chairman of the Eureka County Commissioners in Nevada, and the Director of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

Why It Matters

This hearing explores potential changes to how the greater sage-grouse is protected, which could alter land-use regulations and conservation requirements for residents and industries in Western states.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Sponsors

Show 1 more sponsor

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

State-led conservation focus

The hearing highlights a clear legislative push in 2017 to decentralize environmental management of the sage-grouse to state authorities.

Connected Entities

personDarin BirdDeputy Director, Utah Department of Natural ResourcesMap →
personRob BishopChairman of the House Committee on Natural ResourcesMap →
personRaul M. GrijalvaRanking Democratic Member of the CommitteeMap →
personJohn TubbsDirector, Montana Department of Natural Resources and ConservationMap →
personScott BedkeSpeaker of the Idaho House of RepresentativesMap →
personJ.J. GoicoecheaChairman, Board of Eureka County Commissioners, NevadaMap →
organizationHouse Committee on Natural ResourcesCongressional committee overseeing the hearingMap →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance60
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy50
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools

Share or embed this record

POLISCOPE publisher tools

Share or embed this record