Bill > HR4739

This bill, the Greater Sage Grouse Protection and Recovery Act of 2016, aims to conserve and preserve the Greater Sage Grouse, a bird species, by supporting state-led recovery efforts. It defines key terms like "Federal resource management plan" (plans for public lands by the Bureau of Land Management or National Forest System lands by the Forest Service) and "State management plan" (a state-approved plan for the bird's protection and recovery). A central provision delays any federal finding that the Greater Sage Grouse warrants listing under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 until September 30, 2026, for states with approved management plans, meaning the bird's conservation status will remain "not warranted" for listing during this period. The bill also mandates that federal land management plans affecting the Greater Sage Grouse must be consistent with approved state plans for at least five years after a governor's notification, and any federal actions or withdrawals made in the three years prior that are inconsistent with a state plan will be stayed. Disagreements on consistency will be resolved by the governor, and federal environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 will not prevent the approval or implementation of major federal actions consistent with state plans. Finally, the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture are required to report annually on their monitoring efforts for the Greater Sage Grouse on federal lands, and the bill explicitly states that its provisions and any determinations made under it are not subject to judicial review.