Mining limits proposed in West

Protection of sage grouse is rationale

DENVER — The Obama administration offered five possible plans Thursday for limiting mining on federal land in the West to protect the vulnerable greater sage grouse, but it isn’t saying which it prefers.

The options range from banning new mining activity on about 15,000 square miles for up to 20 years to imposing no additional restrictions on mine locations.

The rules would affect sage grouse habitat on federal land in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming.

Under all the options, mining and exploration projects already approved or underway could proceed. Energy companies could still extract oil and gas from any restricted lands, but they would have to use directional drilling from some distance away to avoid disturbing the surface.

After a public comment period ends in March, Presidentelect Donald Trump’s administration will decide which option to choose, if any.

It’s not yet clear whether Trump or his choice for Interior Secretary, Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana, would continue to pursue the current sage grouse conservation plans, modify them or scrap them.

Also unclear was why the federal government did not list a preferred alternative for mining restrictions, which it normally does in this kind of review.

Randi Spivak of the Center for Biological Diversity said all mining is harmful to sage grouse. She said Zinke, who describes himself as “a Teddy Roosevelt Republican,” could emulate the conservationist Roosevelt by protecting the bird.

Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nevada, called the options an “11th-hour attack on Nevada and the West.” He said he would try to overturn any mining restrictions.

Republicans have berated President Barack Obama for other last-minute measures, including his designation Wednesday of two new national monuments, Bears Ears in Utah and Gold Butte in Nevada.