From the New York Times:
BILLINGS, Mont. — The oil and gas industry on Thursday challenged in federal court drilling restrictions imposed by the Obama administration to protect a struggling bird that ranges across 11 Western states.
We reckon that if a bird has to range across 11 states to take care of itself, not only is it “struggling,” but it’s probably pretty tired, too.
However, the half-million sage grouse to which this article refers, and which environmentalists would have us think are nearly extinct, have been doing quite well under state-managed programs that have spent millions of dollars to prevent an endangered species listing.
But we digress.
The big news is that energy interests including the Western Energy Alliance filed suit against the Obama administration Thursday to block new regulations that will strangle the industry in numerous states including Colorado.
The pièce de résistance is that energy is using the same tool wielded by environmentalists trying to shut down coal operations in Colorado. The government didn’t allow enough public comment before shoving the new rules down our throats, according to Kathleen Sgamma, alliance president.
“That’s where they’re legally vulnerable,” she said. “The oil and gas restrictions in the plans are based on science that overstates the threat” to sage grouse.
The case was filed in U.S. District Court in North Dakota.
We can’t wait for a judge to rule if what’s good for the goose, is also good for the gander.