Contacts
Colorado: Todd Hartman
Colorado Department of Natural Resources
303-866-3311 x-8665
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Kansas: Mike Miller 
620-672-5911
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New Mexico: Enrique C Knell 
505-819-1398
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Oklahoma: Alex Weintz
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Texas: Josh Havens
512-463-1826
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 3, 2013

 

DENVER -- Following is a statement released today by the Governors of five Western states on a federal proposal to list the Lesser Prairie Chicken as a threatened species. Governors signing the document were John Hickenlooper (Colo.), Sam Brownback (Kan.), Susana Martinez (N.M.), Mary Fallin (Okla.), and Rick Perry (Texas).

 

"As Governors of the five states that serve as habitat for the Lesser Prairie Chicken, we are disappointed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a proposed rule for listing the Lesser Prairie Chicken under the Endangered Species Act. We are encouraged, however, that the proposal calls for listing the species as "threatened", and not "endangered." A decision to list the Lesser Prairie Chicken as a threatened species demonstrates that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (the Service) appreciates what our five states are undertaking collectively and individually to address threats to the species and to improve habitat across the species' range.

 

"Individually, our states have worked with a wide variety of interest groups to develop state conservation plans designed to improve habitat for the species while also taking into account economic development needs. Collectively, our agencies released a GIS mapping tool that identifies the highest priority areas for targeted species conservation, developed in a consistent way across our political jurisdictions. This mapping tool has facilitated our agencies' work together, and with land and mineral owners, to develop a range-wide conservation strategy to ensure that a listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken is not warranted.

 

"This strategy will be completed in early 2013.

 

"We strongly believe that the collective efforts of our states, along with the commitments from industry and private landowners throughout the Southern Great Plains, to conserve the Lesser Prairie Chicken will demonstrate the states' ability to effectively manage the species and support a "not warranted" listing decision by the Service in September 2013."

   

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