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Kansas to pursue prairie chicken breeding program

By WTOP Staff

JOHN HANNA
AP Political Writer

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas will develop a program for breeding lesser prairie chickens in hopes of getting the federal government to back off its listing of the bird as a threatened species, Gov. Sam Brownback announced Thursday.

An Audubon of Kansas leader labeled the idea “far-fetched” and said it won’t work because game birds bred in captivity typically don’t have the skills necessary to survive long in the wild.

Brownback, a Republican and a strong critic of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s decision to list the bird as threatened, said he directed the Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism to draft a plan for such a program. Brownback spokeswoman Eileen Hawley said the program would round up prairie chickens in the wild, have them mate in captivity and then release them.

The bird’s listing as threatened means the federal government has oversight of state preservation efforts. It affects Kansas as well as four other states with prairie chicken habitats — Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Kansas has taken multiple steps to challenge the listing. Brownback and other officials contend it will damage the economy because farmers, ranchers and oil and natural gas producers face restrictions on their operations and potentially hefty conservation fees. The federal agency said in March the listing was justified by a decline of nearly 50 percent in the lesser prairie chicken’s population between 2012 and 2013.

The federal government must sign off on a captive breeding program for the bird, and Brownback said the state will seek the required permit.

“We know there will be challenges to this program, but I believe it is worth the effort to restore the chicken’s population and get this federal regulatory burden off the backs of hard-working Kansans,” Brownback said in a statement.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokeswoman Lesli Gray said the agency couldn’t comment on Brownback’s plan because he just announced it, but the agency would review any request for a permit.

“Obviously, the Fish and Wildlife Service is interested in working with any parties on conservation efforts,” Gray said.

But Audubon of Kansas Executive Director Ron Klataske said he doesn’t see the federal government signing off on a captive breeding program, which he said are generally used now to breed game birds — raising them until they can fly for release into hunting areas to be downed within hours.

“Wildlife agencies have abandoned that approach, decades ago,” Klataske said. “I can’t imagine that any qualified biologist would endorse this.”

Hawley said the program would be similar to one for the Attwater’s prairie chicken, an endangered cousin to the larger and darker greater prairie chicken found in coastal grasslands in Texas. But Klataske called that program “an incredibly expensive” attempt at “propping up” a species near extinction.

Kansas officials have said repeatedly that persistent drought caused the decline in the lesser prairie chicken’s population, and its numbers would rebound with adequate rain.

The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies said last week that an aerial survey showed good rains in parts of the animal’s five-state range led to a 20 percent increase in its population from last year. The association said there were about 22,400 birds, up from fewer than 18,800 last year.

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Follow John Hanna on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apjdhanna .

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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