Court Overturns Lesser Prairie Chicken Listing

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) released the following statement in response to a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas vacating the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) 2022 listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken (LPC) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA):

"The Biden Administration's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service weaponized the Endangered Species Act to target American energy production in the Permian Basin, using species like the Lesser Prairie Chicken as one of their tools," Pfluger stated. "These listings were completely misguided, ignoring the vigilant conservation efforts already underway in West Texas. This week, a district court confirmed what we've been saying all along and rightfully struck down the listing, ruling that a 'foundational error' was made. I applaud the court's decision as a major step forward in ending the years-long attack on farmers, ranchers, and energy producers across Texas. We can—and must—protect important species without sacrificing the livelihoods of our local and rural communities that power our nation."

Background:

In recent years, through state and private conservation efforts in New Mexico alone, 1,905,120 acres have been enrolled in a Candidate Conservation Agreement (CCA) and Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) by the ranching community and 2,230,066 acres have been enrolled in the CCA and CCAA by the oil and gas industry to protect the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard and Lesser Prairie Chicken.

These enrollments have resulted in a net acreage conservation gain for the species’ habitat, and the associated financial contributions have helped fund dozens of reclamation and conservation programs to support the species while still allowing for the development of natural resources and human existence in the region.

Earlier this year, and as first reported in Fox News, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) and Congressman Tracey Mann (KS-01) sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum urging him to reverse the listing of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard and the Lesser Prairie Chicken from the threatened and endangered species list. "Doing so would unleash American energy, highlight the success of local conservation efforts, and restore regulatory certainty for rural communities," information states. 

Under the Biden Administration, the Lesser Prairie Chicken was listed as an endangered species, "ignoring the conservation efforts" already being made by Texas and Kansas farmers, ranchers, and agricultural and energy producers. The efforts resulted in net acreage conservation gains for the Dunes Sagebrush Lizards’ habitat and increased the Lesser Prairie Chicken population. In the letter to Secretary Burgum, the Members stress that the Trump Administration has the opportunity to correct these misguided listings and "ensure America can maintain its energy dominance," information states.