Texas sues Biden-Harris admin over ‘weaponization’ of environmental law: ‘Crippling’ impact on state’s energy

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Texas has sued the Biden-Harris administration’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for waging war against the state’s oil and gas industry. 

According to the Texas General Land Office (GLO), the administration’s classification of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard as an endangered species was unlawful and violated the Endangered Species Act. 

GLO Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said that the Biden-Harris administration’s decision to classify the lizard as endangered negatively “could have a crippling impact on the oil and gas industry,” which in turn will result in job losses across the state and decreased revenue for the Permanent School Fund (PSF) and Permanent University Fund (PUF).

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In a statement to Fox News Digital, Buckingham highlighted the importance of prioritizing education in the Lone Star state and how the Biden-Harris administration’s “weaponization” of environmental regulations could undermine Texas’ economy and education.

“As a mom, I know our children are the leaders and workforce of tomorrow,” she said. “Ensuring they have a quality education is one of my top priorities. Part of my responsibility as the Texas Land Commissioner is to provide billions of dollars from our vast oil-rich lands to help fund public education.”

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“This weaponization of the Endangered Species Act by the Biden-Harris Administration is an attempt to undermine Texas, cripple our energy-rich economy, and stifle our children’s education funding.”

North America, USA, Utah, Bluff, Sand Island Petroglyphs and Sagebrush Lizard. (Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Buckingham said that GLO would use “all tools at my disposal to fight back and ensure Texas remains the best place to live, work and raise a family.”

The agency highlighted three inconsistencies with the USFWS’ classification of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard as an endangered species.

1. USFWS has provided no evidence to illustrate a change to oil and gas development in the Permian Basin sufficient to justify reversing their 2012 finding that the DSL does not meet the statutory definition of an endangered or threatened species under the ESA.
2. USFWS purposefully disregards Texas’ voluntary conservation efforts to protect the DSL in its analysis. By its own statement, USFWS does not consider the impacts of conservation efforts unless they are compulsory, permanent, and all-encompassing.
3. USFWS and the Biden Administration have ignored the population trends of the DSL which show that their numbers are increasing.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the USFWS for comment.

Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. 

Story tips and ideas can be sent to sarah.rumpf@fox.com and on X: @s_rumpfwhitten.