Oklahoma joined Kansas and Texas this week in filing a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s decision to add the lesser prairie chicken on the Endangered Species Act list.
The suit was filed by Attorney General Gentner Drummond who charged the government decision amounted to federal “overreach.” He claims the rule puts restrictions on Oklahoma ranchers who graze their livestock and adds more regulations to development of oil drilling, energy pipelines, wind farms and roads.
“I will not allow the Biden administration to punish Oklahoma farmers, ranchers and energy producers with this blatant overreach of the federal government,” Drummond said. “This rule truly presents an existential threat for cattle grazing, energy production and other vital aspects of Western Oklahoma’s economy.”
Drummond is financing the case from the funds appropriated by the Legislature to defend Oklahoma’s sovereignty and fight federal overreach.
“The State of Oklahoma has a constitutional right to defend its sovereignty against unwarranted federal overreach, and I am proud to lead that fight,” he said. “I am thankful to the legislative leaders who have appropriated funds to the Attorney General’s office to fight back against an intrusive federal bureaucracy that seeks to subjugate Oklahoma farmers, ranchers and energy producers.”
