Challenge To Sage Grouse Protection Order

In December, the Federal Government followed through on its commitment (and obligation) to introduce an Emergency Protection Order for the Greater Sage Grouse, a species on the verge of extinction in Canada. Earlier this month, however, the City of Medicine Hat and LGX Oil & Gas Inc. filed an application in Federal Court seeking a judicial review of the Order.

The Emergency Protection Order

The Emergency Order for the Protection of the Greater Sage-Grouse  sets out areas of Crown land in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan in which certain activities are now prohibited, including:

• killing or moving sagebrush plants, native grasses or native forbs (herbaceous flowering plants);