Pacific Spirit Marine Institute
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Source: Mesquitelocalnews.com
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that the bi-state population of greater sage-grouse meets the necessary criteria for recognition as a Distinct Population Segment under the Endangered Species Act, and that adding this population to the federal list of threatened and endangered species is warranted.
However, listing the bi-state DPS of the greater sage-grouse at this time is precluded by the need for listing actions on other species that have a higher priority need for protection under the Act.
As a result, the bi-state DPS of the greater sage-grouse will be placed on the list of species that are candidates for Endangered Species Act protection. The Service will review the status of the bi-state DPS annually, as it does with all candidates for listing, and will propose it for listing when funding and workload permit.
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has announced that the federal government will expand its efforts to protect open lands that are important to the survival of the bi-state population and the greater sage-grouse range-wide.
In collaboration with local, state, and tribal partners, Interior will use new science and mapping technologies to improve land-use planning and to ensure that energy production, recreational access and other uses of federal lands will continue where appropriate, while additional measures are taken to protect the bi-state population and the greater sage-grouse across its range.
The bi-state area population of greater sage-grouse, previously referred to as the Mono Basin population of sage-grouse, occurs in portions of Carson City, Lyon, Mineral, Esmeralda, and Douglas Counties in Nevada, and of Alpine, Inyo, and Mono Counties in California.
The State wildlife agencies in Nevada and California have jointly identified six bi-state area Population Management Units (PMUs): Pine Nut, DesertCreek–Fales, Mount Grant, Bodie, South Mono, and White Mountains.
The current analysis of available information suggests only Bodie and South Mono PMUs are likely to persist over the next 30 years, and may also contract in size without increased conservation efforts or implementation of recovery actions.
Threats to the species include destruction, modification, and fragmentation of habitats in the bi-state area caused by urbanization, infrastructure development (e.g. powerlines and roads), mining, energy development, grazing, invasive and exotic species, pinyon–juniper encroachment, wildfire, and the likely effects of climate change.
Current regulatory mechanisms are not adequate to address these habitat-based threats or other threats such as disease and predation, or impacts from recreational activities.
In addition, the relatively few local populations of the bi-state DPS, as well as their small size and relative isolation, contribute to the risk of extinction.
The Service based its final determination on the accumulated scientific data provided by state and federal agencies and tribes, as well as data and information provided through non-governmental, commercial and public comments. The review of relevant materials included 25 chapters of new information and or analyses contained in the peer-reviewed monograph entitled: Ecology and Conservation of Greater Sage-Grouse: A Landscape Species and Its Habitats which was edited by the U.S Geological Survey for publication in the near future by the Cooper Ornithological Society in their Studies in Avian Biology Series. Thirty-eight scientists from federal, state, and nongovernmental organizations collaborated to produce the analyses, synthesis and findings presented in the chapters of this monograph.
The Service assigns a listing priority number to each candidate species based on the magnitude and immediacy of the threats they face. This ranking system is used to determine which candidate species should be more immediately proposed for addition to the list of threatened and endangered species. Because it faces more immediate and severe threats, the Bi-State DPS of the greater sage-grouse has been assigned a listing priority number higher than that for the range-wide greater sage-grouse, which will also be added to the candidate list.
The Service received two petitions to list the bi-state population, one from the Institute for Wildlife Protection (dated December 28, 2001), and the other from the Stanford Law School Environmental Law Clinic (dated November 10, 2005) on behalf of the Sagebrush Sea Campaign, Western Watersheds Project, Center for Biological Diversity, and Christians Caring for Creation.
A series of actions by the Service was taken in response to the petitions, which included publication (in 2006) of a 90-day finding that these petitions did not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned actions were warranted.
In response to legal challenges, the Service agreed to reconsider this decision. The Service has also announced a finding regarding a petition to list the western subspecies of the greater sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act.
A western and an eastern subspecies of the greater sage-grouse were described in the 1940’s based on comparisons of a limited number of specimens, and many scientists subsequently questioned the validity of these subspecies designations.
Based on a thorough evaluation of the best scientific information available, including new genetic analyses, the Service found no evidence to support recognition of either subspecies.
As a result, the Service announced today it has made a finding that listing the western subspecies is not warranted, as it is not a valid taxonomic entity eligible for listing under the Act. The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a large, ground-dwelling bird, measuring up to 30 inches in length, is two feet tall and weighs between two to seven pounds.
It has a long, pointed tail with legs feathered to the base of the toes and fleshy yellow combs over the eyes. In addition to the mottled brown, black and white plumage typical of the species, males sport a white ruff around their necks.
The sage-grouse is found from 4,000 to over 9,000 feet in elevation. It is an omnivore, eating soft plants (primarily sagebrush) and insects.
Labels: Endangered species act, mesquite, sage-grouse, wildlife
© 2009, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Sage-Grouse Takes Next Step Toward Endangered Status
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Bats are dying by the thousands and as yet no one knows the reason why.
Bats in New York and Vermont are not surviving their hibernation period. As many as 11,000 bats were found dead last winter and this winter isn’t shaping up to be any better.
Scientists don’t know if what is killing the bats is contagious, or if can be spread to humans. For now they are asking people to stay out of caves and mines with bats until they can figure out how the disease is being spread and in fact what the disease may be.
The dead bats are found with a white fungus ring around their noses. Experts don’t at this time know if that white fungus is a cause or merely a symptom. People could unknowingly spread the disease from cave to cave since it is not yet known how the disease is spread.
The bats are using up stored fat reserves before they would normally wake up from hibernation. Essentially the bats are starving to death in their sleep.
Literally hundreds of thousands of bats hibernate in just 5 caves and mines in New York State. With as many as 300 little critters sleeping in just 1 square foot the spread of this unknown disease is especially troubling to scientists.
Nearly half of the entire population of Indiana bats migrates to hibernate in just one cave in New York. That cave is infected with the mystery disease. Indiana bats are on the state and federal endangered species list.
Photo Thanks: Scientific American
Labels: Bats die-off, Endangered species act, Honeybee
© 2009, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Bat die-off eeriely similar to that of the honeybees?
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Alabama Governor Bob Riley has written a 3 page letter to G.W.Bush asking that he deny Georgia’s Governor’s request for presidential emergency actions.
Them’z fightin’ word’z!
Riley paints Perdue as an out and out liar. In his letter to the President he characterizes Perdue’s pleas for Divine presidential intervention as merely being a contest between people versus endangered mussels. Riley says “Nothing could be further from the truth.”
Riley paints Perdue as an out and out liar. In his letter to the President he characterizes Perdue’s pleas for Divine presidential intervention as merely being a contest between people versus endangered mussels. Riley says “Nothing could be further from the truth.”
In my book, the thing furthest from the truth would be a lie. A horrible, bald faced lie. And so it begins, as the planet heats up, the turf wars heat up. Yikes!
Suffering a melt down?
Riley is so opposed to Georgia obtaining Federal intervention into it’s drought predicament that he reminds the president such action would not be safe.
If Georgia is allowed to keep it’s water in Lake Lanier there could be a nuclear event. Riley states, “Georgia ignores the fact that the Farley Nuclear Plant sits on the banks of the Chattahoochee River and requires cooling water at the nuclear plant.” Riley goes on, “If Georgia obtained the presidential action it seeks, then there would likely be inadequate cooling water for the nuclear plant.”
“That is obviously something that cannot be allowed to happen.”
Never miss the chance to overstate the obvious?
Riley does make it sound as though there isn’t any way to back off or shut down Farley temporarily and that a slow down of industrial activity along the Chattahoochee River would be tantamount to the end of Alabama.
Wouldn’t saving one of America’s major cities trump some temporary economic hardships that would be taken by industry?
The cloud of hurricane Katrina hangs over questions such as those.
Some people did learn from Katrina. Northeast Georgia Medical Center isn’t going to be caught waiting for the federal government to come and save them in a disaster. Kevin Matson, safety and emergency preparedness coordinator at the Center says a contingency plan will be submitted to the Georgia Division of Public Health. Part of the plan would be to bring in tanks of non potable water for toilet flushing.
Hope springs eternal if the faucet doesn’t!
Jackie Joseph, president of the Lake Lanier Association, tosses a brighter spin on the drought, “There are some people who are trying to look at the bright side and say, well, the lake has filled up before, it can do it again.” She goes on, “Our leaders didn’t seem to learn much from the last drought in 1999-2002.”
Yep, yep…Things are different this time though.
Governor Sonny Perdue is declaring North Georgia a disaster area and asking President Bush for federal assistance.
FEMA, Bush, Disaster… not a successful combination.
If Atlanta thinks it holds any more importance to the nation than New Orleans held they may want to reconsider that sentiment.
Labels: Alabama, Atlanta, Endangered species act, FEMA, Global Warming, Governor Riley, Lake Lanier, Water, drought
© 2009, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Alabama Governor Bob Riley Ready to Face Off With Drought Strickened Georgia!
Friday, October 19, 2007
City-states and climate change aren’t two terms being used in public but, they most certainly are being used behind closed doors when government and science collide over global warming.
Atlanta, Georgia has found itself on the brink of a disaster. Two days ago the estimated water reserve in Lake Lanier was enough to last only 81 more days.
Given the fact that Atlanta should receive nearly 14 more inches of rain per year than Seattle, Washington a drought in Atlanta seems out of the realm of possibilities, and yet it has happened.
The Army Corps of Engineers is mandated to release millions of gallons of water that flow downstream to Florida and Alabama. In spite of the fact that Atlanta is suffering the largest drought in their history. Much of the water released is part of an attempt to save the endangered Mussel. Freshwater mussels are among the most endangered organisms in North America from Canada all the way down to Florida.
The Governor of Georgia demanded the Corp stop releasing vital water, but the Corps has it’s orders. Florida’s Environmental Chief sent a warning to the Corps staying that reducing the flow of water from Georgia “would severely impact Florida’s natural resources.” Florida has already complained that Georgia is not sending enough water downstream as it is.
You can’t get blood from a turnip!
The Governor of Alabama is crying to the Corps for more water from Georgia. Alabama is also trying to cope with shortages. Georgia’s Governor says he is prepared to file suit to stop the release of his State’s water causing further tensions between the three states.
The National Weather Service expects this coming winter to also be one of the driest on record so it doesn’t look like there will be any relief insight for the near future.
Those of us paying attention to these kinds of things know that situations just like this one are only the tip of the iceberg. The States downstream can cry all they want about the lack of water being sent to them, but if there is no excess water to send what happens?
Last night the state held a public hearing in Rome, Georgia which drew a lively crowd of protesters. The County Commission Chairman was quoted as saying “I’d rather not characterize it as a fight…as competing interests that we need to find some solutions to.”
Bad moon rising!
Officials may, rather these types of issues not be characterized as fights, but what they have on their hands whether they’d rather or not, is a festering boil on the rump of civility.
If the best they can do is ask their constituents to ‘pray for rain’, they have more problems on their hands than they realize. Atlanta’s problem isn’t just affecting other states it’s having an impact on other cities in Georgia. State versus state will seem like a cake walk if neighboring cities start feuding.
If officials are paying attention to the chatter on local Internet forums, and I hope they are, they will see that the locals are quickly becoming restless.
A few quotes from the local forums:
“Couldn’t the Army in Iraq use a few more soldiers? The Corps is Army, ship them off…”
“…Keep our water where it belongs: In Lake Lanier for all the wealthy boaters to enjoy…”
“Before you argue that endangered species stuff, just remember this: the mussels would eat you given the chance.”
“Endangered species…Boo! Species come. Species go. We have the ability to save ourselves over the mussels so we should. If a species is unable to continue existence for whatever reason then that’s the way it is, get over it and move on.”
“Disease, blight, famine, economical devastation and death are what will come with this idiotic attitude…”
Tossing the baby out with the bath water!
Today Georgia Law makers are trying to move legislation in Congress, that will waive the requirements of the “Endangered Species Act,”
As more and more people become pushed by the detrimental affects of Global Warming, environmental issues will be shoved out the window.
The sad thing is; man’s innate desire to survive happens to be predicated on the survival of the environment, it’s not the other way around.
Photo: 11Alive News. Protester wearing mussel shaped hat speaking at last nights meeting in Rome Georgia.
Labels: Army Corps of Engineers, Atlanta, Climate Change, Endangered species act, Global Warming, drought
© 2009, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Global Warming Will Lead To Civil Unrest and The Use of Funny Hats
