Oklahoma's Congressional Delegation Criticizes Government Overreach In Wildlife Protection Efforts

Members of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation are vocal critics of actions they view as government overreach and, in one of their final actions last week before going on August break, they had another chance to voice such criticism, this time over government efforts to protect wildlife.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under the authority of the Endangered Species Act, recently reclassified the status of two species with habitat in Oklahoma -- the Lesser Prairie Chicken and Northern Long-Eared Bat -- prompting the introduction of legislation to repeal both reclassifications. 

During floor debate over S.J. Res. 9, to repeal the listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken, Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas said his father had often explained to him that there is a fine line between doing something for people and doing something to people.

"Let me be clear," Rep. Lucas (R-OK3) went on, "listing the Lesser Prairie Chicken under the Endangered Species Act is government doing something to people, not for them."

This is a bit of déjà vu for Lucas, who has been pushing back on federal efforts to list the Lesser Prairie Chicken since its population dropped from about 150,000 in 1980 to just over 20,000 and first became a candidate for listing in 1998.

Lucas maintains Oklahoman ranchers, farmers and producers are responsible and proud conservationists who are great stewards of the land.

"When we work with and not against producers," Lucas told his colleagues, "we've seen the impossible be accomplished."

Lucas said the species' population has rebounded to about 35,000, proving that a government decree isn't needed, just state oversight and the voluntary actions of stakeholders.

"That's why I support this resolution before us...This resolution ensures that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife regulations do not infringe on the property owners who live and work their land every day," Lucas concluded.

The resolution passed mostly along party lines, as it did in the Senate in May. A similar measure repealing the listing of the Northern Long-Eared Bat as endangered was also approved.

The population of the bat, whose habitat reaches 37 states and the District of Columbia, has dropped precipitously, due largely to a disease known as white nose syndrome. Regulators say the bat does too much good for agriculture to allow it to continue on the path to extinction.

But Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin sponsored S.J. Res 24 to block the listing, saying in a statement following its Senate passage in May, "There is no reason to disproportionately increase regulatory burden and hinder economic development when this rule will not affect the primary cause of decline for the northern long-eared bat."

Even though there were Democratic votes for both resolutions, it certainly doesn't appear there would be enough support to overcome the vetoes that President Biden has promised await them when they reach his desk.