PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says it will use the best scientific data to revise a 2008 Bush administration recovery plan for the northern spotted owl.
The draft plan released Wednesday says it will take 30 years, rather than 10 years, to recover the threatened bird at an estimated cost of about $147 million.
The service’s Paul Henson says the agency is trying to identify the highest-quality owl habitat and the potential need for nonfederal lands to contribute to the owl’s recovery.
A federal judge last week ordered revisions to the 2008 recovery plan and critical habitat designation after the Obama administration sought to have it sent back. The administration cited an inspector general’s report finding the decision-making process was potentially jeopardized by improper political influence.
