Some in the oil and gas industries would be supportive of removing the “net gain” provision in federal language, which they say has been unclear and misapplied since its addition. Others see the Boy Scout rule as a move forward in conservation, a field where losing ground, particularly for sage grouse, is the norm.

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Wyoming is on the front line of sage grouse’s survival. The Cowboy State is home to nearly 40 percent of the bird’s population, and its budget is dependent on continual revenue from energy industries.

Net gain has been a thorny topic in the sage grouse debates from the get-go, but it’s a dry story compared to some of the more controversial changes to sage grouse protections on the table today.

The Interior Department has opened up sage grouse management plans for a number of revisions that would have real and immediate consequences on the ground, including allowing some states to focus on numbers instead of habitat when conserving the grouse or adjusting boundaries around protected habitats. Some figures, like Gov. Matt Mead, have cautioned against extensive changes to the management plans, arguing that they offer long term certainty for the bird and industry.