Adrian Hedden
Carlsbad Current-Argus
achedden@currentargus.com

A grouse native to the plains of southeastern New Mexico lost its federal protections after outcry from industry supporters and decades of debate.

The Wednesday. Feb. 26, announcement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service came in response to a federal court order in Texas last year and was the final step in removing federal protections and restrictions to development on lands where the bird was believed to dwell.

The lesser prairie chicken was listed as endangered in November 2022 in its southern distinct population segment (DPS), which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service used to describe the bird’s southern range in southeast New Mexico and West Texas.

The chicken’s northern segment, covering portions of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and the northern Texas Panhandle, was listed as threatened.

Endangered status means the agency believes a species’ extinction is imminent. The listing requires a federal recovery plan be put in place while often setting aside lands for habitat critical to recovery.

Threatened status indicates an endangered listing may soon be warranted.

The lesser prairie chicken is known for its distinctive mating dances during the spring, in breeding grounds throughout the plains of its range known as “leks.” The male birds inflate reddish air sacks on the sides of their heads and extend yellow feathers above their eyes, stamping into the sand to attract females.

This process known as “lekking” can be impeded by industrial infrastructure such as fences or oil wells, according to a 2022 report from the Fish and Wildlife Service, as the prairie chickens naturally avoid tall structures where predators may perch.

The report blamed a rapid decline in the prairie chicken’s numbers on heavy growth in agriculture and energy development throughout the bird’s range.

The grouse’s historical range was diminished by about 90%, the report read, and its population across the five-state range sat at just about 32,00 birds from an historic population believed to top 100,000. Those numbers led to Fish and Wildlife’s listing of the lesser prairie chicken as endangered but with the arrival of a new federal administration, the agency reversed course last year.

The shift began after backlash from the oil and gas and agriculture industries, and allegations the listing and recovery efforts could negatively impact local economies and the industries that drive them.

A federal lawsuit was filed in 2023 by the state of Texas and fossil fuel trade group the Permian Basin Petroleum Association. In August 2025, U.S. District Judge David Counts sided with the plaintiffs, issuing a ruling to vacate the lesser prairie chicken’s endangered status.

In its latest decision published last week to the Federal Register, the interior department said delisting was “necessary to comply” with the court, and that no opportunity for the public to submit comments on the matter would be offered.

This followed an August 2025 motion the Fish and Wildlife Service filed in the lawsuit, asking the court to reverse the agency’s own decision to list the species.

Specifically, the agency said its previous leaders falsely separated the species into two “distinct population segments” (DPS), and that a new listing procedure was needed to correctly apply federal law.

“The Service concedes that it improperly applied its DPS Policy in a manner that tainted the substance of the final listing rule,” read the motion. “Given the seriousness of the error identified, the Service will be unable to correct the rule’s defects on remand short of engaging in an entirely new analysis.”

The apparent alignment between the court and the Fish and Wildlife Service followed an executive order issued by President Donald Trump titled “Unleashing American Energy” as he took office in January 2025.

Trump via the order called on federal agencies to limit restrictions on domestic fossil fuel production. This included multiple endangered species listings that occurred under Trump’s predecessor, President Joe Biden.

“President Trump’s removal of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken from the federal Endangered Species Act list is a long-overdue victory for Texas farmers, ranchers, and energy producers,” said Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in a Feb. 26 statement. “For years, rural Texans stood shoulder to shoulder with the oil and gas industry to fight back against a weaponized federal bureaucracy masquerading as conservation.”

The decision to delist drew uproar from the environmental community with multiple groups arguing the delisting put industry interests ahead of the environment.

“The Lesser Prairie Chicken is a metaphorical ‘canary in the coal mine’ for New Mexico’s grasslands. They need large tracts of native grasslands to thrive, and their numbers have dwindled dramatically over the past several decades,” said Demis Foster with Conservation Voters New Mexico.

“Research also shows that when it comes to ecosystem resiliency, every species matters.”

Jason Rylander with the Center for Biological Diversity called the decision “shameful,” and said that the Center planned to defend the species’ endangered status in court via an ongoing appeal the organization filed against the Texas court’s ruling in the Fifth Circuit U.S Court of Appeals.

It was the Center, then known as the Biodiversity Legal Foundation, that first petitioned the Fish and Wildlife Service in 1995 for the lesser prairie chicken to be listed as endangered.

It was listed as threatened in 2014, but a subsequent lawsuit filed by oil and gas industry groups in federal court for the Western District of Texas in Midland led to a reversal of that decision. The Center filed again to list the species in 2016, and sued the federal government in 2021, leading to the 2022 listing.

No decision was yet issued on the appeal as of Monday, March 2.

“We’ve been fighting for decades to protect these birds because they’re special and they have a right to exist,” Rylander said. “It’s shameful that the Trump administration sees fit to sacrifice these magnificent birds for oil and gas industry profit.”

Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

Adrian Hedden
Carlsbad Current-Argus
achedden@currentargus

Former New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce was approved by a U.S. Senate committee to become director of the federal Bureau of Land Management.

The Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 11-9 on Wednesday, March 4, in favor of President Donald Trump’s nomination of Pearce to run the bureau. The nomination now goes to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.

The Bureau of Land Management, a sub-agency of the U.S. Department of Interior, oversees 245 million acres of federal public land along with 700 million acres of underground mineral rights. The acreage lies mostly in 12 states in the American West, including New Mexico, which means the bureau is tasked with overseeing oil and gas development on public land, a key driver of New Mexico’s economy accounting for about half of the state’s fossil fuel.

A Republican from Hobbs, Pearce served seven two-year terms as U.S. House representative for New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District – from 2003 to 2009 and from 2011 and 2019. The 2nd District includes most of southern New Mexico, including its deep-red southeast corner consisting of portions of Eddy, Lea and Chaves counties.

Pearce ran for governor of New Mexico instead of seeking reelection to Congress in 2018, losing to current Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. He chaired the New Mexico Republican Party from 2018 to 2024.

Pearce owned oilfield services company Lee Fishing Tools until 2003 when the business was sold to Key Energy Services.

The committee vote to advance Pearce’s nomination was held without debate, although members questioned the nominee during a Feb. 25 hearing. The vote fell along party lines with all the committee’s Republican members voting in favor while the panel’s eight Democrats and one independent voted against.

The nomination needs 51 votes to be confirmed by the Senate where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority. A confirmation vote has not been scheduled.

Pearce’s prior association with the oil and gas industry was a sticking point for U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) who serves as ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and voted against Pearce’s nomination.

During his hearing before the committee last week, Pearce touted his experience in Congress while representing the 2nd District, which includes vast stretches of federal public land in the southern portion of the state.

He said the federal government should collaborate with local communities and the industries they depend on while balancing the needs for outdoor recreation.

“If confirmed, I fully intend to uphold these same principles as BLM director and ensure local input is a key factor in my decision-making,” Pearce said during his opening remarks. “I have also seen firsthand the importance of our public lands and support those missions completely.”

Ahead of Wednesday’s vote, Heinrich voiced concerns about Pearce’s past support of selling federal public land and opposing conservation designations such as national monuments.

“When Congressman Pearce testified,” Heinrich said, “he promised that he would not recommend rolling back national monument designations, something which is extremely important to me; and he acknowledged that (the bureau) cannot conduct large-scale selloffs of public lands under existing law, which is correct.

“I intend to hold him to these statements. But I also know that commitments to follow the law by previous Trump administration nominees have proven unreliable at times.”

The vote to advance Pearce’s nomination drew criticism from environmental groups, and support from industry leaders.

Camilla Feibelman, director of the Sierra Club’s Rio Grande Chapter, which covers New Mexico and portions of West Texas, said she was concerned about Pearce’s past support of reductions in national monument acreage and cutbacks to regulations intended to reduce air pollution linked to oil and gas.

“These lands belong to all of us and are an economic engine for our communities,” Feibelman said. “Americans deserve a trustworthy leader who would prioritize managing our cherished public lands for the good of all, rather than selling them off to polluting corporations.”

Dan Naatz, chief of policy for the Independent Petroleum Association of America, a national oil and gas trade group, said Pearce’s experience in the federal government, and a “multi-use” philosophy for public lands – including mineral development and conservation – make the former congressman the right choice to lead the Bureau of Land Management.

“It’s important that the head of the BLM understand the multiple use mandate for federal lands management as enshrined in law,” Naatz said. “Pearce’s background in Congress and serving the state of New Mexico qualify him to lead the agency.”

Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

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Mike Smith
Artesia Daily Press
msmith@elritomedia.com

Jeff Youtsey, a safety representative for HF Sinclair Navajo Refinery and a 14-year veteran of the Artesia City Council, defeated retired law enforcement official Terrance Todd by just 20 votes Tuesday in the race to succeed outgoing Mayor Jonathan Henry.

Youtsey, 61, had 798 (50.63%) of the 1,576 votes cast in the mayoral election and Todd, 65, had 778 votes (49.37%), according to unofficial results provided by the city clerk’s office.

In addition to a new mayor, Artesia residents chose three new city councilors in the March 3 municipal election and affirmed the candidacies of two incumbent council members who faced no opposition.

Youtsey, interviewed by phone Wednesday morning, thanked his family and supporters who campaigned for him and also thanked Todd for sticking to the issues.

“Terry ran a very good campaign,” Youtsey said. “I’m looking forward to working for the city.”

In an email Thursday morning to the Daily Press, Todd congratulated Youtsey and the others who won their respective races.

“It was close across the board,” he said.

“I applaud the citizens who came out to vote but, in all honesty, wish there would have been a larger turnout.  I don’t ever want us to take for granted the freedoms we have and by voting you’re exercising a say in those freedoms.”

Youtsey, who will take office as mayor April 1, said he’s still processing his victory.

“I’m trying to absorb it all,” he said. “It’s going to take a few days to wrap my head around it.”

The mayor-elect said his immediate priorities include meeting with Henry and finding a successor for the District 3 council seat left vacant by Youtsey’s move to the mayor’s office. The city council will appoint a councilor to serve the remaining two years of Youtsey’s term.

Ongoing street projects will top his early-term agenda, Youtsey said.

“We’ve been working on main arteries for 12 to 14 years. I’m looking forward to tying in and redoing lesser traveled streets,” he said.

In Tuesday’s city council races, District 1 Councilor Raul Rodriguez was reelected without opposition and District 4 Councilor Michael Bunt was unopposed in his campaign to retain the council slot he gained by appointment after no candidate filed for the seat in 2024. The term expires in 2028.

Joseph W. Wright defeated Nathan N. Ryno in the race to replace District 2 Councilor George Mullen, who decided not to seek reelection. Wright, 72, a retired site director from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), prevailed with 144 votes (54%) while Ryno, 50, a teacher in the Artesia Public Schools, had 125 votes (46%).

“Right after the results were posted, I went and gave Mr. Wright congratulations on his victory,” Ryno said in a text message Tuesday night. “I am disappointed of course but I will be back.”

Wright said in a telephone interview Wednesday morning that he wants to listen and learn before being sworn in April 1.

“The first step is to listen. I want to listen to everybody and learn and I will move forward from there,” he said.

Voters returned Allen Kent Bratcher, 68, to the council in District 3, which he served before running unsuccessfully for mayor in 2022.

Bratcher an educational assistant with Artesia Public Schools who defeated write-in candidate Matteo Doporto, 372 votes (79%) to 99 (21%), replaces Wade Nelson who decided not to run for another term.

Former Councilor Terry Hill, 77, won election to the District 4 council seat vacated by Councilor Dickie Townley who did not seek reelection.

Hill defeated Charles Morgan Wagner II, 36, in a race decided by only four votes 214 votes (50.4% ) to 210 (49.5%).

Hill ran for unsuccessfully for mayor in 2022 when his term on the council expired. He had served on the council for 17 years.

“We’ve got a lot of infrastructure that needs to be finished up,” Hill said during an interview Tuesday night at City Hall.

Tuesday’s unofficial results will be canvassed March 10 by the Eddy County Board of County Commissioners in Carlsbad, said Artesia City Administrator Hayley Klein.

Artesia residents cast a total of 1,583 ballots in Tuesday’s election, according to City Clerk Summer Valverde who said the city has 11,018 eligible voters. That means turnout for the election was slightly more than 14%.

Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 extension-2361.