Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Inhofe
Today, U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), senior member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, questioned the Honorable Martha Williams, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), on the conservation efforts of the lesser prairie chicken.
Inhofe previously sent a letter to the Service questioning the pending proposal to list the lesser prairie chicken under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Inhofe made clear in the letter that an ESA listing of the lesser prairie chicken is unwarranted and would send a terrible message to Oklahomans who have engaged in successful, voluntary conservation efforts for years. Inhofe’s letter and the response from the Service can be found here and here.
Inhofe: Thank you. Director Williams, it’s no surprise to you that I’m going to bring up yours and my favorite subject, and that is the lesser prairie chicken. As you know, the updated population data is a key factor when determining if a species should be listed under the Endangered Species Act. On March the 15th of ‘22, the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies announced plans to release updated lesser prairie chicken population data in the coming months. Director Williams, do you plan to include the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ most current lesser prairie chicken population data into your listing decision?
Williams: Thank you, Sen. Inhofe, for your continued interest on this issue. I hope I get to visit with you about it more. I never get tired of those visits and talking about all the incredible voluntary efforts that are underway to conserve lesser prairie chicken.
Inhofe: And, might I add, successful efforts.
Williams: Yes, many of them, very successful. In fact, we are looking at the lesser prairie chicken and, I believe, as it was in the proposed rule, one of the reasons why there are two distinct population segments and why one is threatened and one is endangered is, those recovery efforts and the restoration efforts that have been underway. But to answer your question, Sen. Inhofe, I believe that, indeed, we did take into account those numbers, and the proposed rule – I think – shows our responses. So, yes, we have taken robust public comment and will take those numbers into account.
Inhofe: Well, and I appreciate that. Let me talk fast here to get my time effectively in where I want it. That is, the conservation practices have helped to nearly double the total lesser prairie chicken population size since 2013. Now, that’s pretty remarkable and that’s, I’m sure, something that you had on your plate of concern.
In your response letter to my inquiries, regarding your proposal to list the lesser prairie chicken under the Endangered Species Act, you made it clear it was not necessary to perform a policy for evaluation of conservation effort assessment. So, Director Williams, can you provide an update on your work with the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies to address conservation concerns, with the candidate conservation agreement, with assurances, considering you do not plan to perform this assessment?
Williams: Mr. Chair and Sen. Inhofe, when I first started in this position, because I had been a member of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies [WAFWA], I was very careful not to have direct contact with WAFWA, if you will. So, I need to look into the answer to your question more.
I’ve been very careful to be at arm’s length with WAFWA, per say, but I do know our staff, and especially Amy Lueders, our Regional Director, has been very involved in the CCAA [Candidate Conservation Agreement and Assurances] with the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
Inhofe: Well, you know, I always enjoy the idea that we’re doing something worthy. The current information should be helpful to us. When we look and we see that we have had that kind of a success over that period of time, not all of them have that. And so, I look forward to keeping that on the table, but not waiting for another meeting to come along, because you know of my interest in this issue.
Williams: Thank you, Sen. Inhofe, and thank you, also, to all those who’ve worked so hard in your state to conserve lesser prairie chickens.
Inhofe: Successfully, we have.
Williams: Successfully.
Inhofe: Thank you so much.