Analysis by Energy Workforce President Tim Tarpley
We got some good news last week in the long-running saga of the Sage Grass Lizard. Last week, the Administration agreed to strip the species of ESA protections, reversing a May 2024 decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that listed it as endangered. This listing blamed oil and gas development in the Permian for the lizard’s habitat loss, despite voluntary efforts by industry and the State of Texas to protect it.
This listing led to a lawsuit by the State of Texas, which ultimately set the stage for the settlement and the decision to reverse the listing. While the settlement still needs approval from a federal judge in Midland, we expect it to be granted.
This delisting is a welcome final step in a long saga of the Sage Grass Lizard. Environmental groups have long used ESA listings to litigate to stop oil and gas drilling and to create bureaucratic hurdles that ultimately complicate all sorts of industrial activities. For years, EWTC worked on a state action plan for the Sage Grass Lizard that protected its habitat while avoiding federal bureaucracy. Additionally, EWTC has supported (add link to PR on ESA) federal legislation to streamline and fix the ESA listing process to avoid future unnecessary listings that are used solely to target our industry. Ultimately, federal legislation like this will be necessary to prevent future administrations from reversing this delisting or using other listings in this way to target our industry.
Tim Tarpley, Energy Workforce President, analyzes federal policy for the Energy Workforce & Technology Council. Click here to subscribe to the Energy Workforce newsletter, which highlights sector-specific issues, best practices, activities and more.
