Mining Company Agrees To Protect Sage Grouse Habitat In Nevada

(AP) -- Newmont Mining Corp. has reached an agreement with the U.S. government and the state of Nevada to protect some of the most critical sage grouse habitat in the West in exchange for assurances it will be able to develop other public lands in the future.

Gov. Brian Sandoval announced the deal Tuesday that calls for Newmont to seek approval from state and federal agencies for habitat conservation projects under Nevada's Conservation Credit System.

In exchange, for demonstrating a net gain in grouse habitat, the company may receive credits that can later be used to offset impacts related to future mining in Nevada.

Newmont Executive Vice President Elaine Dorward-King says it enables the company to help protect the hen-sized bird on 1.5 million acres of Newmont's privately owned lands while securing the certainty it needs for long-term operations.