Texas Lizard Loses Federal Endangered Species Protection Following Legal Settlement
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has removed the dunes sagebrush lizard from the federal endangered species list following a lawsuit by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The lizard, native to the Permian Basin, was initially granted endangered status in 2024 due to threats from oil and gas development. Paxton's lawsuit argued that the designation was based on insufficient scientific data. The settlement requires the Wildlife Service to reassess the lizard's status, with a new evaluation expected within two years. 
