,,ii #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bcid ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #bb1 #bjad ,mr4 ,enzi 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,barrasso1 ,mr4 ,hatch1 ,mr4 ,risch1 ,mr4 ,lee1 ,ms4 ,murkowski1 and ,mr4 ,crapo7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,secretary of the ,interior and the ,secretary of ,agriculture to provide certain ,western ,states assistance in the development of statewide conservation and management plans for the protection and recovery of sage grouse species1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,sage ,grouse ,protection and ,conservation ,act4 #b4 ,greater sage-grouse protection and conservation measures 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,covered western ,state ,the term covered western ,state means each of the ,states of ,california1 ,colorado1 ,idaho1 ,montana1 ,nevada1 ,north ,dakota1 ,oregon1 ,south ,dakota1 ,utah1 ,washington1 and ,wyoming4 7#b7 ,national ,forest ,system land ,the term ,national ,forest ,system land means the ,federal land within the ,national ,forest ,system1 as described in section #aa7;a7 of the ,forest and ,rangeland ,renewable ,resources ,planning ,act of #aigd 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #afji7;a774 7#c7 ,public land ,the term public land has the meaning given the term public lands in section #ajc of the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agjb74 7#d7 ,sage grouse species ,the term sage grouse species means the greater sage-grouse 7,centrocercus urophasianus7 and the ,gunnison sage-grouse 7,centrocercus minimus74 7#e7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means-- 7,a7 the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 with respect to ,national ,forest ,system land2 and 7,b7 the ,secretary of the ,interior1 with respect to public land4 7#f7 ,statewide plan ,the term statewide plan means a statewide conservation and management plan for the protection and recovery of sage grouse species within a covered western ,state4 7b7 ,secretarial participation in ,state planning process 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #cj days after receipt of notice from a covered western ,state that the ,state is initiating or has initiated development of a statewide conservation and management plan for the protection and recovery of the sage grouse species within the ,state1 the ,secretary shall provide to the ,governor of that covered western ,state-- 7,a7 a commitment of the willingness of the ,secretary to participate in the development2 7,b7 a list of designees from the ,department of the ,interior or ,department of ,agriculture1 as applicable1 who shall represent the ,secretary as a participant in the development2 and 7,c7 a list of other ,federal departments that could be invited by the covered western ,state to participate4 7#b7 ,access to information ,not later than #fj days after receipt of a notice described in paragraph 7#a7 from the covered western ,state1 the ,secretary shall provide to the ,state all relevant scientific data1 research1 or information regarding sage grouse species and habitat within the ,state to appropriate ,state personnel to assist the ,state in the development4 7#c7 ,availability of ,department personnel ,the ,secretary shall make personnel from ,department of the ,interior agencies or ,department of ,agriculture agencies1 respectively1 available1 on at least a monthly basis1 to meet with officials of the ,state to develop or implement a statewide plan4 7c7 ,contents of notice ,a notice under subsection 7b7 shall-- 7#a7 be submitted by a ,governor of any covered western ,state2 and 7#b7 include-- 7,a7 an invitation for the ,secretary to participate in development of the statewide plan2 and 7,b7 a commitment that1 not later than #b years after the submission of a notice under this section1 the ,state shall present to the ,secretary for review a #aj-year 7or longer7 sage grouse species conservation and management plan for the entire ,state4 7d7 ,review of ,state plan ,if the ,secretary receives a statewide plan from a covered western ,state not later than #b years after receiving a notice under subsection 7b7 from the ,state1 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 review the statewide plan using the best available science and data to determine if the statewide plan is likely-- 7,a7 to conserve the sage grouse species to the point at which the measures provided pursuant to the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aeca et seq47 are no longer necessary in the ,state2 and 7,b7 to conserve the habitat essential to conserve the sage grouse species within the ,state2 and 7#b7 approve or endorse1 or make comments regarding1 the statewide plan not later than #abj days after the date of submission4 7e7 ,actions after statewide plan is submitted 7#a7 ,hold on certain actions ,not later than #cj days after receipt of a statewide plan from a covered western ,state1 the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 take necessary steps to place on hold-- 7i7 for a period of not less than #aj years1 all actions with respect to listing any sage grouse species in that ,state under the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aeca et seq472 7ii7 enforcement of any current listing of sage grouse species within that ,state under that ,act2 and 7iii7 designation of any critical habitat for any sage grouse species within that ,state under that ,act2 and 7,b7 withdraw any land use planning activities related to ,federal management of sage grouse on ,federal land within that ,state and take immediate steps to amend all ,federal land use plans to comply with the statewide plan with respect to that ,state1 if-- 7i7 the ,state presents to the ,secretary the conservation and management plan of the ,state not later than #b years after the ,state submits notice to the ,secretary under subsection 7b72 and 7ii7 the ,state is implementing the plan4 7#b7 ,actions pursuant to ,,nepa ,any proposed action pursuant to the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 that occurs within a covered western ,state may not be denied or restricted solely on the basis of a sage grouse species if the action is consistent with a statewide plan that has been submitted by the ,state to the ,secretary4 7f7 ,existing ,state plans ,the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 except as provided in paragraph 7#b71 give effect to a statewide plan that is submitted by a covered western ,state and approved or endorsed by the ,united ,states ,fish and ,wildlife ,service before the date of the enactment of this ,act1 in accordance with the terms of approval or endorsement of the plan by the ,united ,states ,fish and ,wildlife ,service2 and 7#b7 for purposes of subsections 7b77#c7 and 7e71 treat a statewide plan described in paragraph 7#a7 as a plan referred to in those subsections4