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Your Voice In The Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Matter 1/17/12
CBS 7 News
Robert Guaderrama
rguaderrama@cbs7.com
January 17, 2012
Midland, Texas – The final deadline is approaching for public comment on the listing of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard on the Endangered Species List. The tiny lizard has made headlines over the past year. Though the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has extended their deadline to list the lizard, some feel their decision is already made up.
A national organization was in midland today urging west Texans to voice their concerns not to prevent the lizard from being listed but to help strengthen the fight once it is listed. The “Americans for Prosperity,” held a press conference today to protest the listing of the lizard. It was held at the Petroleum Museum, which organizers say is the perfect venue because our oil fields will shut down and become a museum, if the lizard is listed.
"Shutting down the west Texas oil fields would be a colossal mistake," said Peggy Venable, Americans for Prosperity, Texas Director.
We're just five months away from the final decision whether or not to list the dunes sagebrush lizard on the endangered species list. A decision that would bring the west Texas oil industry to a halt.
"The ripple effect would be so dramatic, it wouldn't just impact those who work in the oil fields, it would impact every citizen in this area," said Venable.
Which is why, "Americans for Prosperity," a national political activist organization, is bringing awareness to the issue and encourage public comment.
"It's good for people to make others aware of the impact that this kind of radical environmentalism has on their own pocket books," said Jason Moore, Texas Republican Executive Committee.
"We want to put every roadblock we can and at the end our attorney general and the state is prepared to sue the federal government if they do list," said Venable.
And if that does happen, which the organization believes will be the case, public comments from those directly impacted will serve a critical purpose.
"That is official public record, it's the equivalent of being in a deposition in a court matter, in essence, you're giving testimony in the court of law, it's that important," said Moore.
The deadline to submit a letter is this Thursday. You can find a link to the submission page by clicking here.