The Cleveland County Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution asking the Federal Government remove the American Burying Beetle from the endangered species list.
WHEREAS, it is the civic duty of county government to provide its citizens with infrastructure projects that contribute to the overall vitality and economy of our communities; and
WHEREAS, the status of the American Burying Beetle (ABB) as endangered has prevented and slowed development by said county by requiring strict regulations and mitigation to preserve identified populations; and
WHEREAS, the ABB population has grown significantly and appears to exist in far more areas than it did prior to its listing via the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1989; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FSW) has identified ABB populations in the Midwest which exceed initial recovery plan goals, including populations numbering in the thousands in Nebraska and Oklahoma; and
WHEREAS, the ABB population growth has occurred despite very limited recovery projects by the FWS, underscoring how little is known about the ABB and its risk of extinction; and
WHEREAS, as the expansion of the range and habitat of the ABB grows, so too does historic mitigation requirements, associated costs, and the diversion of project funds that could be used on critical infrastructure and economic development; and
WHEREAS, despite all of the indications that the ABB is thriving and its listing as an endangered species is no longer necessary to support the ABB population, the FWS has not changed or removed the ABB from its listing; and
WHEREAS, the delisting of the ABB would relieve our County of unnecessary regulation, mitigation, and financial cost,
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Board of County Commissioners of Cleveland County, Oklahoma support and respectfully request the removal of the ABB from the endangered species list under the ESA to free up valuable taxpayer funds for infrastructure projects and economic development vital to our citizen’s needs.
Passed and Approved this 12th Day of January, 2015 by the Board of County Commissioners, Cleveland County.
Is the bug truly endangered?
While the proposed regulations are the immediate issue, some in the oil and gas industry also are working to remove the beetle from protected status.
When it became protected in 1989, the beetle was found only in Rhode Island and in eastern Oklahoma’s Latimer County.
Much has changed in the following years. The American Burying Beetle has since been found throughout much of eastern Oklahoma and in parts of Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota.
“We think, overall, that the American Burying Beetle needs to be delisted,” Teague said. “We’re not sure it is as endangered as everyone thought 30 years ago. It’s widespread in Oklahoma. If you look at the recovery goals, we believe in Oklahoma alone we’re reaching those goals several times over.”
The establishment of the Muddy Boggy Conservation Bank and other similar preserves could help delisting the bug by ensuring a robust population, Woodard said. by Adam Wilmoth NewsOK January 24, 2014 http://newsok.com/energy-industry-bugged-by-rules-delay/article/3926689
Government entities and the private sector (mainly oil & gas producers) can purchase Burying Beetle Conservation Credits from a Houston based company that has2,965 acres called “Muddy Boggy Conservation Bank.
The American Burying Beetle Conservation Bank (“ABBCB”) was approved by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service (“USFWS”) on February 14 to provide conservation credits across Eastern Oklahoma. The ABBCB will create approximately 700 turn-key conservation offsets for developers who need to mitigate damages to American Burying Beetle (“ABB”) habitat. The ABB has been listed as an Endangered Species by the USFWS since 1989.
The ABBCB provides a perpetual haven for American Burying Beetles under a 1600 acre permanent conservation easement, held by Land Legacy of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Common Ground Capital, LLC of Edmond, Oklahoma spearheaded the development of these projects with support from WLLL, LLC of Tyler, Texas. WLLL will manage the long-term stewardship of the property as well as the marketing and sales of the ABB credits. The ABB credits will provide offsets for impacts of the construction of projects under the requirements of the Endangered Species Act. Common Ground Capital is also developing a portfolio of Lesser Prairie Chicken (“LPC”) Conservation Banks currently totaling 80,000 acres across the southern plains in anticipation of providing credits for any regulatory outcome for the USFWS LPC listing decision in March. “Common Ground Capital, LLC February 24, 2014
Counties in Oklahoma with American Burying Beetle priority are; Atoka, Bryan, Cherokee, Choctaw, Coal, Haskell, Hughes, Johnston, Latimer, Le Flore, Muskogee, McIntosh, Okfuskee, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pushmataha, Osage, Seminole, and Sequoyah. See Map
The American Burying Beetle has slowed, altered or stop several county transportation projects (mainly bridge replacements). The ability for counties to purchase these credits my help in getting projects environment clearance and completed in shorter time. But there is a cost to this which cost the taxpayers. Cleveland County is asking the counties in the priority area (east of I-35) to also pass the resolution. Then the counties will consolidate the resolution and present to Congressman Tom Cole, Congressman Steve Russell, Congressman Markwayne Mullen, Congressman Jim Bridenstine, Senator James Lankford & Senator Jim Inhofe.