Overview
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Thursday published a final rule delisting the lesser prairie-chicken, formalizing a Midland, Texas court decision that voided protections last summer.
- The agency concluded the Biden-era approach that split the bird into two distinct population segments lacked sufficient justification.
- Texas officials and trade groups for oil, gas and cattle welcomed the change, arguing state and private conservation efforts can protect the species without federal restrictions.
- The Center for Biological Diversity condemned the move and said it will continue legal efforts to restore Endangered Species Act protections.
- The bird’s population is estimated at about 30,000 across Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, with previous federal analyses citing severe habitat loss near 90% and prior rules requiring developers and ranchers to avoid disrupting mating leks.