The Fish and Wildlife Service removed lesser prairie chickens from the list of protected species Wednesday, announcing the start of a new effort to determine the status of the high-profile, ground-hugging bird.
Bending to litigation brought by ranchers, the oil and gas industry and several red states, the federal agency dropped the lesser prairie chicken’s northern distinct population from the roster of threatened species. The bird’s southern distinct population is losing its designation as endangered.
But the dual delistings do not mean the end of the long-running debate over the bird that inhabits some energy-rich regions. Instead, the wrangling can begin anew as FWS reconsiders the 2022 ESA listing decisions struck down by a Texas judge last August.
“We are particularly interested in information that has become available since, or was not considered in, the 2022 final listing rule,” FWS stated.
