Feds Remove the Lesser Prairie Chicken From Protection List

Source: Associated Press

Feds Remove the Lesser Prairie Chicken From Protection List

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS, ASSOCIATED PRESS ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Jul 19, 2016, 6:49 PM ET

Facing an uphill court fight, the U.S. government announced Tuesday it was formally removing the lesser prairie chicken from a federal protection list under the Endangered Species Act.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the move follows recent court rulings in Texas that stripped the lesser prairie chicken of federal protection. However, federal officials say the removal didn't mean authorities had concluded the lesser prairie chicken didn't warrant federal protection for biological reasons.

"The service is undertaking a thorough re-evaluation of the bird's status and the threats it faces using the best available scientific information to determine anew whether listing under the ESA is warranted," the agency said.

The previous rulings found that Fish and Wildlife failed to make a proper evaluation of a multistate conservation plan when it listed the lesser prairie chicken as threatened.

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