“As Governors of the five states that serve as habitat for the Lesser Prairie Chicken, we are disappointed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a proposed rule for listing the Lesser Prairie Chicken under the Endangered Species Act. We are encouraged, however, that the proposal calls for listing the species as “threatened”, and not “endangered.”
A decision to list the Lesser Prairie Chicken as a threatened species demonstrates that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (the Service) appreciates what our five states are undertaking collectively and individually to address threats to the species and to improve habitat across the species’ range.
“Individually, our states have worked with a wide variety of interest groups to develop state conservation plans designed to improve habitat for the species while also taking into account economic development needs. Collectively, our agencies released a GIS mapping tool that identifies the highest priority areas for targeted species conservation, developed in a consistent way across our political jurisdictions. This mapping tool has facilitated our agencies’ work together, and with land and mineral owners, to develop a range-wide conservation strategy to ensure that a listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken is not warranted.”
The Governors said that they that the collective efforts of their states, along with the commitments from industry and private landowners throughout the Southern Great Plains, to conserve the Lesser Prairie Chicken will demonstrate the states’ ability to effectively manage the species and support a “not warranted” listing decision by the Service in September 2013.
The states’ strategy will be completed in early 2013 and is expected to cost considerable money.
The states in which the Lesser prairie-chicken is known to live are Colorado , Kansas , New Mexico , Oklahoma , Texas.
One Arizonan breathed a sigh of relief when it became known that they did not have to worry about one more Arizona animal which could be used as excuse for federal intervention, “Thank goodness, we dodged being the habitat of the Lesser Prairie Chicken. I don’t know if we can afford to meet any more federal demands.”
The Independent Petroleum Association of America said a decision to make Lesser Prairie Chicken a “endangered species” would be the “start of a slippery slope that sets a dangerous precedent for future energy production, economic growth, and working conservation efforts.” Regional and state oil and gas associations said the “the federal government has decided to reduce the land available for the production of food and energy for humans, because [FWS] estimates that the number of lesser prairie chickens is declining.”
Lesser Prairie Chickens are medium-sized and grayish brown birds that according to many taste like chicken.