Speakers question science behind lizard concerns (Dunes Sagebrush Lizard)

Midland Reporter-Telegram ^ | 27 April 2011 | Mella McEwan

[Army Air Corps]

A respectful crowd of Permian Basin residents gathered at Midland Center on Wednesday to speak at a public hearing about the listing of the dunes sagebrush lizard as an endangered species.

The listing possibly could shut down oil and gas, grazing and farming operations in Andrews, Crane, Gaines, Ward and Winkler counties in West Texas and Chaves, Eddy, Lea and Roosevelt counties in New Mexico.

The hearing was conducted by officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, overseen by Jeff Humphrey, public outreach specialist with the service out of Arizona.

Wally Murphy, New Mexico state field supervisor, told the audience that the lizard, which lives in a narrow band of shinnery oak dunes that stretches primarily from New Mexico into parts of Texas, had been considered a candidate for listing in 2001 and cited threats from habitat fragmentation, pollution, predation and climate change. If listed, he said, operations would be prohibited that could interrupt its breeding, eating or sheltering in habitat areas where the lizard is found.

[Greysard]

Isn't it a bit strange that such an endangered, irreplaceable, valuable animal is living in nine counties of two states? That's quite some territory. How many lizards are enough to claim a county - one, two, ten, a hundred? If more then they aren't endangered - not any more than sparrows or field mice. Hmm, I probably shouldn't have mentioned mice.

[mylife]

Gnight all.

GOD Bless

[mylife]

Never seen a Blackberry patch down here in mylife, but I sure hone in on them bramble berrys

They are a chore to harvest

[Army Air Corps]

Uh oh, you may be off to the Eco-Gulag for your crimes against Gaia. ;-)

[luvie]

We picked a lot of them in Georgia when we lived out there. They grew wild along the sides of the roads. Lots of people out there gathering. I actually made some pretty boss pies with them! :) (believe it or not....)

[mylife]

These SOBs was fat like Blackberry’s back home! but they were only like 5 of them on the vine.

I’m going hunting, I know a spot.

[mylife]

You ? bake a Pie? LOL!!

[luvie]

Wish I could go with ya! :)

[luvie]

It happened! LOL!

[mylife]

I didnt know ya lived in Ga.

Dang. I had some serious breakfast there

[mylife]

I used to piss my Mom off with elderberrys, she said She’d make a pie, but “By God”, we were gonna clean the berry’s.

[mylife]

Gnight Gang

[bray]

Whatever it takes to punish Whitey.

Pray for America

[luvie]

Yep...when Mr. LUV was in the Air Force. They do know how
to make breakfast.

Except for the grits. I can live without grits. :)

[luvie]

Nite, MY! See ya next time.

[mylife]

I had some serious breakfast in GA

[luvie]

Well, I know how you love your breakfast! :)

[luvie]

This idiocy affects all races out here in the oil patch.

Zero hates AMERICA! Period.

[CedarDave]

Excellent read, especially this:

A number of speakers questioned the science behind determining the lizard was endangered, including Dan Womochel, a veteran field biologist.

"I've read all the papers available, and there's a tremendous amount of information there," he said. "There's also a tremendous amount of information that should be there but isn't."

The baseline information, he said that is collected by field biologists and submitted for consideration could not be found in most publications, he said, though there is "a tremendous amount of undocumented material or anecdotal data. It is completely inadequate data available to the scientific community to make a rational decision on whether this species should be listed. And no one has mentioned what constitutes a viable population. After 50-plus years of oil operations, you can still go out and catch lizards.

Amy Porter pointed out that the listed areas have been subject to grazing for 150 years and oil and gas operations for 50 years and "there is still a viable population of lizards. We believe many of the conclusions cited as justification are based on unreliable data collected over a short period of time under uncertain conditions, possibly by unqualified personnel."

NM list PING! Click on the flag to go to the Free Republic New Mexico message page.

(The NM list is available on my FR homepage for anyone to use. Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.

[Army Air Corps]

BUMP!