Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) released the following statement today after voting on a resolution which would repeal the lesser prairie chicken’s status as a threatened species, returning autonomy to local farmers, ranchers, and wildlife agencies in Oklahoma.
“Oklahomans are proud conservationists and great stewards of our land. We recognize that sustainable, healthy land serves as the lifeblood of our rural communities. However, listing the Lesser Prairie Chicken as a threatened species creates unnecessary burdens on our ability to not only provide for ourselves, but the entire world,” said Rep. Frank Lucas. “S.J. Res. 9 ensures these onerous and needless regulations do not infringe on our daily lives.”
BACKGROUND:
On November 25, 2022, the Fish and Wildlife Service published a final rule that added the lesser prairie-chicken to the federal endangered species list and created two distinct population segments (DPS) with different levels of protections. The species would be listed as threatened in the Northern DPS, which covers areas in
Oklahoma. S.J. Res 9 would repeal the Service’s 2022 listing
and return the lesser prairie chicken to being managed by state wildlife
agencies within its range. A summary of the S.J. Res. 9 can be viewed here.
Furthermore, the population of Lesser Prairie Chickens has increased from approximately 20,000 birds in 2013 to nearly 35,000 in 2020. Rep. Lucas spoke in support of the resolution on the House Floor today. You can watch his full remarks by clicking here or on the image below.
