Federal Wolf Program Could Threaten Energy Development In The Permian Basin

The United States Fish & Wildlife Service ("FWS") has announced an intention to revise the scope of the agency's Mexican Wolf Recovery Program, significantly expanding the geographic area within southern Arizona and New Mexico that Mexican wolves will be permitted to occupy. If finalized, FWS' proposal would open large areas of mineral-rich territory in southeastern New Mexico to wolf occupation, potentially subjecting oil and gas operators (as well as other landholders and private stakeholders) to development restrictions under the Endangered Species Act.

The Mexican wolf, also known has the Mexican Gray Wolf, was first listed as an endangered species in 1978. Since 1998, FWS has reintroduced captive-bred Mexican wolves into the wild and managed the released population under a rule that designates the domestic wolf-population as "Nonessential, Experimental." The 1998 rule designates two principle areas for wolf-management: (i) the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area