kilometres) of public land from a swath of eastern Nevada where oil and gas drilling leases are set to go to auction. The move came after a judge blocked a Trump administration attempt to curtail protection of habitat for endangered sage grouse in seven states. The Trump land-use plans finalized in March had removed the most protective sage grouse habitat designations across millions of acres. Administration officials also dropped requirements to prioritize leasing for oil and gas outside sage grouse habitat and allowed more waivers for drilling. Sage grouse territory in Montana, Washington and the Dakotas has not been affected.

Source: thestar November 11, 2019 19:54 UTC