WASHINGTON D.C. - Rep. Yvette Herrell has introduced legislation to codify into federal law a Trump Administration rule, issued in December 2020, that gave the Fish and Wildlife Service the authority to exclude areas from being designated critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act if the economic impact of doing so outweighs the benefit to the species. The original order was made through an exhaustive public comment process that took into account input from a wide-range of stakeholder groups.
Unfortunately, the Biden Administration announced that they are rolling back improvements made to the Endangered Species Act made by the Trump Administration, including this rule. Ensuring that the rule stays in place would be extremely beneficial to both New Mexico’s timber and energy industries. Critical habitat designations for the Mexican Spotted Owl have already brought the timber industry in our state to the brink of extinction and listings like the Lesser Prairie Chicken's could have the same effect on the energy industry.
“New Mexico has become ground zero for extreme applications of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). From the Mexican Spotted Owl to the Lesser Prairie Chicken, ESA designations are impacting some of our state's most important industries and have crushed others," said Rep. Herrell. "The Fish and Wildlife Service must be allowed to take into account these economic impacts when deciding what land will be the most restricted for use and designated as critical habitat. Without this discretion, jobs will be lost and our way of life in Southern New Mexico will be under threat."
The bill is cosponsored by Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark), Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (R-Wash), Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ).
Rep. Herrell's bill can be found at https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001NYgXJE-GYe_G9EKvv3yARs7oB-945tb-vUFhoMieNmLxetZaiHzBIqCJGZ3duwVYkC4l6J1IkERmLKdBpatQngGH1PijQSm6EtTlRdEGPTH8zzwYEj9ilNb2vbwJTRwFvkOQibd7WWn3J3RVAru7OKcKpyKvoBh7kk_Ej6qhtn29XcV8RGnSag-CoDdJAgjIcxLd1UwKaUDjRqYrJ7z25nRklTZi9XLJyddQup7s8XRLID-WRewgJ5Dl1i81VVC2suuQxli9JHEiNEtonqVCWqQHhGX682vxLc6L81ozBT2r WXugD455Rtfpx8vU1HWd3DaM&c=Qc VkhetdkS9vjEX-zNFswUFk3fogFaL-2X8ggcLapSjjAXmgFBJH2g==&ch=bPR_ykK9M92GxPMfe8JkYuvXGH8phLVoo-Y0JMPVA0CTnlSJPBtvWg==