Service Decides Against Listing of Dunes Sagebrush Lizard
Posted in Listing

The Fish and Wildlife Service made a decision (pdf) recently not to list the dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.  The distribution of the small, light brown lizard is limited to western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. The status of the species has been uncertain for a number of years; in 2004 the Service determined that listing the species was warranted but precluded by higher priority actions and in 2010 the Service proposed to list the species as endangered.  The potential listing of the species drew strong opposition from Republican lawmakers in Texas and New Mexico as well as the oil and gas industries in those states.  The decision was widely covered in the media.  "Depending on whom you ask, and their political affiliation, a little lizard’s long-fought battle for protection ended Wednesday either in victory or defeat, or something in between," wrote Manny Fernandez in an article that appeared in the New York Times (June 13, 2012).

The decision not to list the species was based on the a determination by the Service that "voluntary conservation agreements would ensure the long-term survival of the species and its habitat."  (New York Times, June 13, 2012, by Manny Fernandez.)  According to the Service, those conservation measures cover over 650,000 acres, or 88 percent of the species' habitat.  The decision not to list based on voluntary agreements was criticized by at least one environmental group, but it was lauded by another.

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Tags: Listing
  • Paul S. Weiland
    Partner

    Paul Weiland is Assistant Managing Partner and a member of the Environment & Land Use Group. He has represented clients – including public agencies, publicly regulated utilities, corporations, trade associations and ...

Nossaman’s Endangered Species Law & Policy blog focuses on news, events, and policies affecting endangered species issues in California and throughout the United States. Topics include listing and critical habitat decisions, conservation and recovery planning, inter-agency consultation, and related developments in law, policy, and science. We also inform readers about regulatory and legislative developments, as well as key court decisions.

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