KRWG News – ROSWELL, N.M. (KRWG) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has reopened the public comment period on a proposal for listing a small lizard found in southeastern New Mexico and West Texas as an endangered species.
The agency is planning two public meetings on the dunes sagebrush lizard.
The first meeting will be April 27 in Midland, Texas. The second will be in Roswell the following day.
The decision to extend the comment period resulted from numerous requests.
Biologists say the dunes sagebrush lizard faces threats from oil and natural gas development and herbicides.
The lizard lives in a small area of shinnery oak dunes in northeastern Chaves County, Roosevelt County, eastern Eddy and southern Lea counties in New Mexico and in a narrow band in Gaines, Ward, Winkler and Andrews counties in Texas.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. KRWG