[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 171 (Wednesday, December 4, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H7458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              SAGE GROUSE

  (Mr. TIPTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TIPTON. Mr. Speaker, the proposed Endangered Species Act for the 
Gunnison Sage-Grouse and the Greater Sage-Grouse will impact millions 
of acres in Colorado and hinder existing conservation efforts. It will 
put private lands off-limits to most use and development, including 
agricultural production, without providing any compensation. It will 
kill jobs, devastate communities, and disrupt effective species 
preservation efforts currently under way. It won't, however, more 
effectively preserve the grass.
  In my district, plans at the local level are under way to effectively 
preserve the species. Because they take into account the unique 
geography and environment of the region, these efforts are seeing 
success.
  Interior Department bureaucrats have yet to provide measurable 
species preservation goals so that State and local officials can meet 
them. Local conservation efforts are all too often disrupted by Federal 
attempts to implement blanket plans. One-size-fits-all plans create 
endless litigation that ties up resources that could be used for 
preservation.
  If the true goal is species preservation, then I hope Secretary 
Jewell will come to Colorado and see firsthand the effective work being 
done to preserve the sage grouse and provide measurable species 
preservation laws.

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