Bi-state sage grouse considered for threatened status for third time in 10 years

For the third time in a decade, federal wildlife officials are contemplating whether the bi-state sage grouse deserves protection under the Endangered Species Act.

Conservationists blame "political gamesmanship" for leaving the bird in regulatory limbo since 2013. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Thursday it's doing a fresh review after a federal judge ruled last May that the Trump administration acted illegally when it withdrew the most recent proposal to list the species as threatened.

The hen-sized flightless bird can be found in just two states — Nevada and California — in the high desert along the Sierra Nevada’s eastern front. A formal listing could bring restrictions on development, as well as prevent livestock and off-road vehicles from entering the bird's habitat.

"Maybe the third time will be the charm for getting this population segment the protection it so clearly deserves," said Laura Cunningham, California director of the Western Watersheds Project.

"None...