Congress is set to begin ironing out differences in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this week. The bill funds Department of Defense programs and activities.
The House version of the must-pass bill includes a rider that would prohibit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from listing the greater sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act for ten years. The lesser prairie-chicken and the American burying beetle would also be prevented from becoming listed as threatened or endangered.
House Republicans have argued legal protections for the chicken-like bird would hurt military training operations on western land. Yogin Kothari, senior Washington representative for the Union of Concerned Scientists, said, if the rider goes through, it would undermine the extensive coordinated strategy throughout the west to protect the sage grouse. He added a ten-year ban would likely become even longer if passed.

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