Mesa County is showing its support for Colorado’s decision to sue the federal government over the listing of the Gunnison sage grouse.
"We believe that state of Colorado’s decision is solid," Mesa County Commissioner Scott McInnis said. "We join several other counties in doing that [including] Gunnison County [and] Garfield County."
McInnis said the Mesa County Board of Commissioners has instructed the county attorney to draft a notice of intent to sue over the listing.
Last week, the state filed its lawsuit in federal court against the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Gunnison sage grouse was listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act last November.
Governor John Hickenlooper thinks the designation goes too far, given the community action to protect the bird.
The Gunnison sage grouse is found in parts of Utah and Colorado. It’s estimated there are only 4,800 of them left.
The largest population of the species, about 4,000 grouse, inhabits the Gunnison Basin.
