DOI Seeks Comments on Proposal to List Two Distinct Population Segments of the Lesser Prairie Chicken as Threatened and Endangered

On June 1, 2021, the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published a proposed rule to list the lesser prairie chicken northern distinct population segment as threatened and southern distinct population segment as endangered. The agency has scheduled two information sessions and public hearings on the proposed rule. The first information session will take place on July 8, 2021 from 5-6:00pm (CT) followed by a public hearing from 6:30-8:30pm (CT). The second information session will take place on July 14, 2021 from 5-6:00pm (CT) followed by a public hearing from 6:30-8:30pm (CT).  Written comments on the proposed rule are due by September 1, 2021.

• Read the Federal Register notice and submit written comments here.
• Register for the July 8, 2021 information session and hearing here.
• Register for the July 14, 2021 information session and hearing here.
• Advocacy contact: Prianka Sharma at 202-205-6938 and Janis Reyes at 202- 619-0312.

*UPDATE*

The Service is extending the comment period by 30 days. The new deadline for public comment on this proposal is September 1, 2021.

The proposed rule, Species Status Assessment, FAQs and recordings of our two virtual public hearings can be found here: www.fws.gov/southwest/es/LPC.html.