Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has notified the Biden Administration of Texas’s intent to sue the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over the listing of the dunes sagebrush lizard under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The ESA mandates that listing determinations be based solely on the best available data. According to Paxton, in this case, the Service relied on flawed assumptions about oil and gas development and unfounded climate concerns. He also noted that existing conservation efforts by Texas landowners already protect the dunes sagebrush lizard. These agreements address conservation priorities while safeguarding private property rights and enabling economic development within the Permian Basin. By disregarding these efforts, Paxton argues, the Biden Administration undermines Texas landowners' property rights.
Paxton asserts that with this listing, the Service violated both the ESA and the Administrative Procedure Act. In his letter, he warned that if the rule is not withdrawn within 60 days, he will proceed with legal action.
“The Biden Administration has sought countless ways to weaponize federal power to harm Texas’s oil and gas industries. My office is prepared to take action to protect the Texas economy, preserve Texans’ private property rights, and maintain our State-guided conservation efforts that protect our environment,” said Attorney General Paxton.
To read Paxton's notice letter, click here.