SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO, May 26, 2021 – The New Mexico Oil and Gas Association (NMOGA) today released the following statement in response to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's proposal to list the lesser prairie-chicken under the Endangered Species Act:

“The proposal to list the lesser prairie-chicken discards years of valuable progress with voluntary programs that have proven to be successful in conserving the species across southeastern New Mexico. Oil and gas operators are committed to leading habitat management and conservation practices, and have invested significant resources and enrolled in conservation agreements to protect the species and avoid habitat disruption. Undermining these existing efforts to grow the lesser prairie-chicken population in the local area could have unintended consequences, and a listing will prove to be unnecessary, onerous, and disruptive to oil and gas production that provides critical services to all New Mexicans.”

NMOGA is a coalition of more than 1,000 oil and natural gas companies and individuals operating in the state of New Mexico.  NMOGA is the oldest and largest organization representing the oil and gas industry in New Mexico and its members include all facets of oil and gas production, transportation, and delivery. The oil and gas industry is the greatest economic contributor to the state of New Mexico, supporting more than 134,000 jobs and $16.6 billion in annual economic activity. Taxes and royalties from the industry account for 33% of the State of New Mexico’s annual budget, including almost $1.4 billion for public schools. Visit NMOGA.org to learn more about the importance of oil and natural gas to New Mexico.