When: Tuesday March 26th and Thursday March 27th from 6-8pm.

Where: Fred Field Center Main Building, aka the “rubber room,” Gunnison County Fairgrounds, enter at the corner of Spruce and New York Avenue SW of Safeway.

Why: To help the public make effective comments to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) about their proposal to list the Gunnison Sage-grouse as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.

What: We’ll have bullet points for discussion, paper, pens, envelopes, address labels (for the USFWS as well as for our Congressman and Senators) and stamps. You should be able to walk in with nothing and walk out with nothing, other than having insured that your voice will be heard on this topic.

Gunnison Trails’ Position on the Listing: Our position is that the future of the Gunnison Sage-grouse in our valley is more secure in the hands of local agencies, organizations and working groups than it would be in the hands of the USFWS.

Gunnison Trails has assembled what are widely considered to be inaccuracies and oversights in the USFWS’s rationale for listing the species as endangered.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) are taking public comments on their recent proposal to list the Gunnison Sage-grouse as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. The comment period has been extended until April 2nd.

If you would like to comment but are less than enthusiastic about trying to figure out what you’d actually say, consider attending one of two open house sessions being hosted this week by Gunnison Trails. The USFWS has said they don’t want to hear opinions but that they want to hear facts and science.

We will not be trying to coerce or convince anyone to comment against their wishes. We simply want to assist anyone who finds this process daunting and would like a little assistance with getting it done.

What if you think the Sage-grouse should be listed? Public comment is an important part of this process. Gunnison Trails always encourages public comment regardless of whether it supports our position or not.

Thanks,
Dave Wiens
Executive Director
Gunnison Trails