by Nick Pope
Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz has introduced a recent bill to overturn Biden administration protections for the lizard species that critics say will restrict oil and gas development.
Cruz Introduces His Congressional Review Act (CRA) Bill to reverse the Biden administration’s decision to protect the Dunes Sagebrush lizard, a species native to parts of New Mexico and West Texas, under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Cruz and other critics of the designation say protecting the lizard is more about complicating oil and gas development in Permian Basina region wealthy in oil and natural gas in West Texas and New Mexico.
The lizard is less than three inches long, not counting the length of its tail, According to to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
“The Biden administration has used the federal government to stifle American energy production at precisely the time when the country, and indeed the world, needs access to affordable American energy,” Cruz said in a statement shared with the Daily Caller News Foundation. “This disastrous rule threatens American jobs and undermines energy production in the Permian Basin. I urge the Senate to quickly take up and pass my legislation to reverse it.”
FWS listed the minuscule Dunes Sagebrush lizard under the ESA in May, citing “the best available science” and saying the rule “protects the rare lizard and its habitat” from habitat loss caused by oil and gas activities.
Meanwhile, oil and gas stakeholders have questioned whether the science behind the decision is actually sound, and have pointed out that the safeguards could delay permitting processes and augment production costs, According to to The Texas Tribune. Specifically, the lizard’s endangered status would make the process of building access roads more time-consuming, tough and costly, increasing production costs; at least some of those costs would ultimately be passed on to consumers.
“Listing the sagebrush lizard as an endangered species is yet another attempt by the Biden administration to shut down drilling in the Permian Basin,” Texas Republican Rep. August Pfluger said in a statement shared with DCNF. “Our Congressional Review Act is an attempt by President Biden to weaponize the lizard against the oil and gas industry. We will not allow the President to seize control of private property and destroy energy jobs in the Permian Basin.”
Republican Senators John Cornyn of Texas, Mike Lee of Utah and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming joined Cruz to introduce the CRA legislation. Many industry groups support the bill, including the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, the Independent Petroleum Association of America, the American Petroleum Institute and the American Exploration and Production Council.
FWS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Nick Pope is a reporter at the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Ted Cruz” by Senator Ted Cruz.
