Lawsuit over sage grouse decision on the way

The Obama administration will soon face a lawsuit over its decision not to add the greater sage grouse to the list of endangered and threatened species.

According to an Associated Press report, three environmental groups have sent Interior secretary Ken Salazar a notice of intent to file an Endangered Species Act complaint in federal court.

The basis of the lawsuit will be that the agency violated the law when it declared March 5 that the grouse is eligible for listing but precluded due to a shortage of financial and personnel resources.

The Endangered Species Act requires potential plaintiffs to provide 60 days advance notice of its intent to file a complaint in court.

The three environmental groups that signed the letter did not indicate the federal judicial district in which they would file the lawsuit.