WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and nine of her colleagues in introducing a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution disapproving of the northern long-eared bat’s listing as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The classification will place an undue burden on Wyoming landowners, businesses and infrastructure projects without clear scientific evidence of the benefit to the northern long-eared bat.
“This is textbook big government having a solution and searching for a problem,” said Senator Lummis. “Creating a regulatory headache for the people of Wyoming is not going to help the northern long-eared bat, but it sure is going to cost many hardworking people a lot of time and money. We can responsibly manage wildlife without crushing economic growth and killing jobs.”
In Wyoming, the northern long-eared bat is known or believed to be native to Campbell, Crook, Niobrara, Sheridan and Weston counties.
Click here for the full bill text.
Background:
On November 30, 2022, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published its final rule listing the northern long-eared bat as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
After Senator Lummis and her colleagues expressed opposition, FWS announced it would delay the effective date for the final rule to March 31, 2023.
On March 6, 2023, FWS announced interim guidance to assist stakeholders in the transition to the reclassification.
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