WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representative August Pfluger (TX-11) introduced the Limiting Incredulous Zealots Against Restricting Drilling (LIZARD) Act to strike the Biden Administration’s recent rule designating the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Listing the sagebrush lizard under the ESA is an incredible threat to the production of oil, natural gas, wind, and solar energy developed in the Permian Basin.

Rep. August Pfluger (TX-11): “On the campaign trail, President Biden promised to kill the fossil fuel industry, and that’s about the only promise we can count on him keeping. His latest tactic—listing the dunes sagebrush lizard as an endangered species so he can shut down drilling in the Permian—is just the latest in a string of assaults on the Permian Basin and our way of life. The President wants to control private property in Texas. Not on my watch. My legislation protects energy security and jobs in the Permian by nullifying his latest attack.”

Background

As of December 31, 2022, through state and private conservation efforts in New Mexico alone, 1,905,120 acres have been enrolled in a Candidate Conservation Agreement (CCA) and Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) by the ranching community and 2,230,066 acres have been enrolled in the CCA and CCAA by the oil and gas industry to protect the dunes sagebrush lizard. 

These enrollments have resulted in a net acreage conservation gain for the species’ habitat and the associated financial contributions have helped fund dozens of reclamation and conservation programs to support the species while still affording for the development of natural resources and human existence in the region.