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Bird causes economic development woes in Okla.
NECN.com ^ | Sep 8, 2011

Posted on 09/08/2011 5:21:19 PM PDT by SJackson

The potential listing of the lesser prairie chicken as an endangered species could cause major economic problems for an area of Oklahoma already hit hard by an ongoing drought and dwindling population, business and industry leaders said Thursday.

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe's office hosted Dan Ashe, the newly confirmed director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, during a forum at the University of Central Oklahoma to discuss the fate of the stocky, ground dwelling bird native to western Oklahoma. A similar forum was held Wednesday night in Woodward. Inhofe was unable to attend the forums so he could be in Washington for a critical vote on a transportation funding bill, a spokesman said.

The Wildlife Service currently is conducting a study to determine whether the bird should be listed as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. The bird's natural habitat is prairie grasslands in New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Ashe, who visited Oklahoma at Inhofe's request, said that while the potential economic impact on business and industry may be significant, it isn't a factor in determining whether a species is threatened or endangered.

"At this point, the Fish and Wildlife Service is at the point of diagnosis. Is the lesser prairie chicken threatened or endangered?" Ashe said. "And what we consider in the course of making that decision is the biological status of the species and the nature of the threat facing the species."

Officials representing the oil and gas industry, electric utilities, transportation, farmers and ranchers all testified at the forum that listing the bird would threaten their industries in western Oklahoma.

"We do not need to list the lesser prairie chicken and use a federal government stick to get the desired results," said Terry Detrick, president of American Farmers and Ranchers. "This is not our first rodeo. We've seen government incentives become mandates.

"The problem with the federal government is that common sense is not necessarily common."

But environmental groups maintain the bird is a high priority species for listing because its habitat has been reduced to about 8 percent of its historic range, said Mark Salvo, an expert on the bird with the Wild Earth Guardians, which petitioned to have the species listed more than 12 years ago.

"Their population has been estimated at between 10,000 and 50,000, and some experts have warned that fewer than 10,000 may remain," Salvo said. "The sooner that the Service can act to protect the species, not only will it become likely to prevent its extinction, but it will be less expensive, more efficient, and less inconvenient to land owners and users."

Steve Sherrod, executive director of the University of Oklahoma's George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center, described the birds as a "treasure that we need to value."

"I think we have a certain responsibility with this species, as well as with any species," Sherrod said. "We are stewards of this animal that's been here for millions of years."

But Scott Dewald, president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, said cooperative efforts already are under way with landowners in the area to protect the species, and that inclusion of the bird on the list could jeopardize those efforts.

"Once the regulatory hammer falls, the locks go up on the gates," Dewald warned.

Oklahoma's Secretary of the Environment Gary Sherrer formally requested a 24-month extension to the Wildlife Service's timeline in order to give conservation efforts more time to come to fruition. Ashe described the request as "reasonable" and said it will be considered, but he cautioned that he's limited to specific timelines included in the Endangered Species Act.

"We have some flexibility with regard to new scientific information or scientific uncertainties that arise from the information we receive during our period of consideration, but we have to prove that," Ashe said. "I can't just say, 'Sure, we'll give you two more years.' I don't have the flexibility to do that."

Inhofe released a statement Thursday thanking Ashe for visiting the state and urging him to consider an extension.

"The message at these meetings was clear: a listing could have devastating effects on Oklahoma's economy, significantly harming agriculture, the construction of highway infrastructure, and many energy development projects, including a number of wind farms," Inhofe said. "I call on Director Ashe to do the right thing and allow the voluntary efforts already under way in Oklahoma to produce positive results before going through with a listing that could be so detrimental to the state's well-being."


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: prairiechicken

1 posted on 09/08/2011 5:21:21 PM PDT by SJackson
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To: SJackson

Insanity


2 posted on 09/08/2011 5:24:47 PM PDT by TheBattman (They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature...)
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To: Iowa Granny; Ladysmith; Diana in Wisconsin; JLO; sergeantdave; damncat; phantomworker; joesnuffy; ..
If you’d like to be on or off this Outdoors/Rural/wildlife/hunting/hiking/backpacking/National Parks/animals list please FR mail me. And ping me is you see articles of interest.

If the critter on the right would breed with the critter on the left, there'd be no greater or lesser chickens, they'd all just be chickens and we could leave them alone. But somehow government must deal with greater and lesser, as they do with humans. Chickens need a union. And if those are same sex chickens, government will find a way for them to breed.


3 posted on 09/08/2011 5:25:19 PM PDT by SJackson (Free Palestine, return it to the inhabitants who had the land taken by the Romans, Alan West)
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To: SJackson

More of the world, upside-down... When animals are more important than humans.


4 posted on 09/08/2011 5:25:54 PM PDT by TheBattman (They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature...)
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To: SJackson

that’s the gift to Oklahome from “bammy....they shouldn’t be electin’ Republican Senators if they wanna be left alone now...


5 posted on 09/08/2011 5:26:14 PM PDT by mo
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To: SJackson

IN my view, I see the possible listing as a reason for folks to intentionally kill every one of these chickens off their property. God forbid if you are found to have any on your land - the gubmint will stop you from using YOUR land.


6 posted on 09/08/2011 5:27:38 PM PDT by TheBattman (They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature...)
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To: SJackson
"I think we have a certain responsibility with this species, as well as with any species," Sherrod said. "We are stewards of this animal that's been here for MILLIONS OF YEARS."



7 posted on 09/08/2011 5:35:52 PM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: SJackson

Another “snail darter” fiasco !!

I suspect its possible to find large populations of these birds, (and/or very near genetic relatives) prevalent across Western dry lands !

Just another shining example of why we should eliminate the USDEA ! >PS


8 posted on 09/08/2011 5:37:51 PM PDT by PiperShade
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To: SJackson

The good news is they taste like chicken.


9 posted on 09/08/2011 7:17:20 PM PDT by razorback-bert (Some days it's not worth chewing through the straps.)
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