ALBUQUERQUE, NM — The US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is extending the public comment period and is soliciting public opinion on a proposal to list the dune sagebrush lizard as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The public comment period is now 90 days and ends on October 2, 2023.
The service is committed to conducting a robust public participation process as it reviews a proposal to list the dune sagebrush lizard as endangered. The extension gives all interested parties additional time for comments. In addition to this extension, the service held a virtual public briefing and public hearing on July 31, 2023, where it accepted oral comments on the logging.
The dune sagebrush lizard is a rare species found only in the glossy oak sand dune ecosystems of west Texas and southeastern New Mexico. Major threats to the lizard include habitat loss associated with oil and gas exploration, sand mining and climate change.
The service encourages all interested parties to contribute and provide substantive comments during the public comment period, which ends on October 2, 2023. The notice is available in the Federal Register at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/current.
The Endangered Species Act turns 50 this year. It provides an important safety net for fish, wildlife and plants and has prevented the extinction of hundreds of endangered species, encouraged the recovery of many other species and preserved the habitats they depend on.
MORE INFORMATION
https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/dunes-sagebrush-lizard-proposed-for-endangered-species-protection-2023-06-29/
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