New legislation regarding the lesser prairie chicken has been introduced in Congress. The Promoting Local Management of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Act is introduced in response to the US Fish and Wildlife placing the lesser prairie-chicken on the threatened and endangered species lists. Representative Ron Estes, who introduced the legislation, says energy producers and ranchers have the right to preserve their land.

Estes says the bill will ensure that the lesser prairie chicken's habitat protection remains under local control.

Estes says the US Fish and Wildlife's inclusion of the lesser prairie chicken on the threatened and endangered lists was nonfactual and disregarded the preservation efforts of energy producers and ranchers who best know their land.