The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced plans to modify land use for greater sage-grouse across approximately 50 million acres in eight Western states, including Utah. This decision comes amid declining populations of the greater sage-grouse, which have dropped from millions to fewer than 800,000 due to habitat loss. The new plan aims to make more public lands accessible for energy and mineral development, raising concerns among environmentalists. The BLM's initiative is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to enhance energy security while managing public lands. Bill Groffy, acting director of the BLM, stated that the agency is committed to balancing habitat protection with the need for energy resources. The sage-grouse, an iconic species of the Intermountain West, has faced significant threats from habitat loss exacerbated by drought, wildfires, and invasive species. In Utah, the newly approved plan designates 5.4 million acres with high conservation standards for the sage-grouse. Although these areas will prohibit solar and wind energy projects, they will allow fluid mineral leasing, including geothermal development, with stringent stipulations. Furthermore, the BLM has increased permit requirements in these critical habitats. However, the Center for Biological Diversity has raised concerns that the new plan reduces protections for the sage-grouse, including the removal of safeguards on 4.3 million acres of prime habitat. Additionally, changes in Nevada to facilitate the construction of the Greenlink North transmission line have been criticized for potentially damaging nesting and mating grounds. The plan also eliminates grass-height standards for nesting habitats, a modification that environmentalists argue is influenced by the livestock industry and poses further risks to the sage-grouse population. The Center for Biological Diversity has indicated plans to challenge this amendment in court, citing that the alterations threaten the survival of the greater sage-grouse and other wildlife that depend on the sagebrush ecosystem.