Houston Chronicle:
People in Midland like to say God felt such remorse for the dry, dusty landscape that he decided to give it oil.
He also gave it the dunes sagebrush lizard, and now, the tiny, sand-dwelling reptile could put a halt to oil and gas exploration and production in parts of West Texas and harm school budgets across the state.
The federal government has proposed that the lizard, which has all but disappeared from these parts, be listed as an endangered species — a designation that could save it from extinction but slow the pace in one of the nation's most prolific oil patches.
Oilmen and some state and local officials fear that adding the lizard to the list could put the brakes on drilling, road and pipeline construction and other activities - at least while the federal government studies their impact on the habitat in seven West Texas counties, including the top two oil-producing counties in the state.
"It's reptile dysfunction," said Jerry Patterson, the state's land commissioner, who has filed comments with federal officials in opposition of the proposed listing.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking legal protection for the lizard because of the dramatic loss of its habitat due to oil and gas activity and cattle grazing.
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I oppose this anti
Darwinism by the Federal government. Next thing you know they will be coming for my cats who are always catching and eating lizards that wander onto their deck area. The act should be repealed if these people can't get more realistic. They are already turning the Central Valley of California into a wasteland because they are trying to protect a worthless bait fish.
Image via Wikipedia
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