U.S. Senators Look For Delay On Lesser Prairie Chicken Decision
By: Dylan Brooks
Updated: February 21, 2013
MIDLAND -- United States senators from Texas have asked U.S. Fish and wildlife service officials to wait before deciding whether to list the Lesser Prairie Chicken as threatened.
The federal agency has proposed listing the fowl as threatened.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service is expected to make a decision on that potential listing in Fall 2013.
However, U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz are joining other Republican senators in asking the federal agency to push back that decision 6 months, while extending a comment period on the proposal.
The Lesser Prairie Chicken has a habitat in the High Plains region which stretches the Permian Basin on up to Western Kansas and Eastern Colorado.
If the species listed as threatened, federal protections of the habitat could negatively affect wind energy, oil and gas and ranching in the area.
Texas Governor Rick Perry, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper released a joint statement opposing the proposal to list the species as threatened in January 2013.
U.S. Representatives Randy Neugebauer and Mike Conaway have also spoken out against the potential listing of the lesser prairie chicken as threatened.
The federal agency has proposed listing the fowl as threatened.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service is expected to make a decision on that potential listing in Fall 2013.
However, U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz are joining other Republican senators in asking the federal agency to push back that decision 6 months, while extending a comment period on the proposal.
The Lesser Prairie Chicken has a habitat in the High Plains region which stretches the Permian Basin on up to Western Kansas and Eastern Colorado.
If the species listed as threatened, federal protections of the habitat could negatively affect wind energy, oil and gas and ranching in the area.
Texas Governor Rick Perry, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper released a joint statement opposing the proposal to list the species as threatened in January 2013.
U.S. Representatives Randy Neugebauer and Mike Conaway have also spoken out against the potential listing of the lesser prairie chicken as threatened.
