Reptile Roils Oil Patch

Reptile Roils Oil Patch
Companies Oppose Endangered-Species Tag for Lizard, but Brace for Its Listing

By ANA CAMPOY

The dunes sagebrush lizard, while just five inches long, is causing a big ruckus in the oil patch.

The federal government is considering whether to put it on the endangered species list, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service arguing that oil and gas development in the Permian Basin, a rich oil-producing area in West Texas and Southeast New Mexico, is destroying parts of the lizard's home, a unique sand dune ecosystem.

The oil industry says the listing of the Sceloporus arenicolus would bring economic ruin.

"This is the most prolific oil-producing region in onshore America," said Ben Shepperd, president of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, an industry group in Midland, Texas. "If you are to knock out a big portion of that, it clearly would drive prices up at the gasoline pump."

So I think the Muslim Kenyan is saying "Kill onshore oil production- thus kill America."

And Rick "Benedict" Perry killed HB 1937 because he lacked the balls to stand up, or does he want to see it destroyed as well?

As a friend says: "I for one look forward to the coming pandemonium- debts will be paid."

WP