Pfluger Leads Push to Undo Biden Administration's Endangered Species Listings

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As first reported by 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, said Pfluger.

Under the Biden Administration, the dunes sagebrush lizard and the lesser prairie chicken were listed as endangered species, ignoring the conservation efforts already being made by Texas and Kansas farmers, ranchers, and agricultural and energy producers, according to Pfluger.

Their 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.

In the letter, the members write in part, “Empowering states, landowners, and private partners to continue leading species management ensures we can protect wildlife without sacrificing economic growth, energy production, or the livelihoods of hardworking Americans. Striking this balance is critical to maintaining our environmental stewardship and America’s energy dominance. With the right approach, we can achieve lasting conservation results without burdening the very communities that have been instrumental in protecting these species... The Trump Administration can correct these misguided policies by directing FWS to delist both the lesser prairie chicken and the dunes sagebrush lizard. Doing so will restore balance to our conservation efforts—allowing local stakeholders to continue their successful work while safeguarding American energy production, protecting jobs, and supporting rural economies,” 

In addition, the representatives reintroduced the Limiting Incredulous Zealots Against Restricting Drilling (LIZARD) Act to strike the Biden Administration's designation of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This listing directly threatens the production of oil, natural gas, wind, and solar energy developed in the Permian Basin and across America, they wrote.

“Former President Biden spent four years fulfilling his promise to kill the fossil fuel industry one horrible policy at a time – including listing the dunes sagebrush lizard under the Endangered Species Act, a direct attack on our hardworking men and women in the energy sector,” said Rep. Pfluger. “This listing, along with many others, was completely misguided and repudiates significant private conservation efforts in West Texas. I am proud to lead the charge alongside my good friend and colleague Rep. Tracey Mann to continue undoing the Biden Administration’s nonsensical policies and protect American energy production and jobs.”

“From Day 1, President Biden used every tool in his toolbox to trample on the livelihoods of America’s energy and agricultural producers,” said Rep. Mann. “His administration continuously ignored the facts on the ground and decided federal bureaucrats were better equipped to manage these populations than local citizens. Our bill restores power back to the local communities most impacted by these decisions and removes the regulatory handcuffs put on them by the Biden Administration. We look forward to working with President Trump and Secretary Burgum to reverse these ill-informed listings and unleash the American energy dominance 77 million Americans voted for this past November.”