Senator Roger Marshall and multiple of his colleagues sent a letter to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Deb Haaland, requesting an extension to delay the final rule that will ultimately list the lesser prairie-chicken under the Endangered Species Act.
Last month, Senator Marshall and colleagues introduced a Congressional Review Act joint resolution of their disapproval of the listing, saying it “will increase financial difficulties for the Kansans who raise cattle for your hamburgers and drill oil for your gasoline.”
The lawmakers suggested April 1st be the new deadline. If the request is not granted, the rule will go into effect on January 24th.
The members wrote:
”...Given the decades-long history of private lands conservation in coordination with the Service and state partners, we believe listing the LPC undermines private property rights and will discourage critical conservation efforts on private lands. Let us be clear, while we strongly urge the Service to revoke the listing, at a minimum it is necessary to delay the effective date for involved parties to effectively comply with the rule. An extension of the effective date will give industry stakeholders more time to participate in or expand voluntary conservation prior to the primary nesting season of the LPC and give ranchers time to comply with the new 4(d) rule for grazing activities or establish Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances.”
To read the full letter, click HERE.
