Legislation To Prevent Over Regulation Of Wildlife Clears

House Agriculture, Water, and Wildlife Committee

Santa Fe, NM- Today, the House Agriculture, Water, and Wildlife Committee passed legislation
sponsored by Representative Dennis Roch to re-assert state authority over the lesser prairie
chickena species listed as threatened by the Endangered Species Act. The vote was a
bipartisan 6 to 1 vote on both the legislation and the House Memorial.
Out of touch Washington bureaucrats have no place regulating private lands here in New
Mexico, said Representative Roch, the bills sponsor.
Currently, the endangered species listing has greatly affected many activities associated with the
operations of farms, dairies, and ranches, as well as oil and gas exploration and production.
Certain pipelines, water lines, renewable energy projects, transmission and distribution lines and
public roads currently require costly permits and are often delayed.
But by giving the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish the authority to regulate the
habitat of the lesser prairie chicken, we can protect ranchers and farmers from this bureaucratic
nightmare that stems from the federal governments overreach.
I am glad we are making progress on this crucial issue, and I hope to see a full vote on the
House floor as soon as possible, said Roch.
House Memorial 74 asks the Commissioner of Public lands to convene a task force and take all
measures necessary to protect state trust lands from the unwarranted listing of the lesser prairie
chicken as a threatened species.
Our state needs to bring together everyone involved to ensure a balanced approach between
protecting the animals habitat as well as the rights of private property owners and taxpayers,
Roch concluded.
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