Billings, Mont. • The Trump administration on Friday finalized changes to sweeping federal land use plans for Western States to ease energy industry restrictions in a way officials say will protect a struggling bird species.
The changes by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management will guide future efforts to conserve greater sage grouse, ground-dwelling birds that range across portions of 11 Western states.
Environmentalists have said the widely-anticipated move will undermine protections for the chicken-sized bird. They would allow more oil and gas drilling and other activities on grouse habitat.