WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced they would not list the greater sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act:
“Today’s news is a victory for conservation and a huge relief for so many of our rural Oregon communities. A sage grouse listing could have been devastating for many Oregon ranchers, and for the economic vitality of Eastern Oregon. I applaud everyone who worked together and engaged in this unprecedented collaborative effort so that we could protect our local economies and our natural heritage at the same time.”