This bill removes the lesser prairie-chicken from the Endangered Species Act and permanently prohibits its future listing as a threatened or endangered species.
Tracey Mann
Representative
KS-1
This bill mandates the immediate removal of the lesser prairie-chicken from the federal lists of threatened and endangered species. Furthermore, it amends the Endangered Species Act to permanently prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from designating the species as threatened or endangered in the future.
New Bill Strips Lesser Prairie-Chicken of Endangered Status and Bans Future Federal Protection
This bill takes the immediate and permanent step of removing the lesser prairie-chicken from the federal lists of threatened and endangered species. Under Section 1, the bird—including all its distinct population segments—is delisted from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 effective immediately. Beyond just a one-time removal, the legislation amends Section 4(a) of the ESA to explicitly forbid the Secretary of the Interior from ever determining that the lesser prairie-chicken is threatened or endangered in the future, effectively placing the species entirely outside the reach of federal conservation oversight.
Grounding the Flight
For those working in industries like oil and gas, ranching, or large-scale construction in the Great Plains, this bill removes a significant layer of federal red tape. Currently, if a species is on the endangered list, a developer or farmer might have to pause projects, change land-use plans, or pay for mitigation credits to avoid disturbing the habitat. By delisting the bird and barring it from future protection, the bill streamlines operations for businesses that previously had to navigate complex environmental reviews. This could mean lower compliance costs for a local energy company or more flexibility for a rancher looking to expand their grazing footprint without federal interference.