RECENT ACHIEVEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 12, 2025
Federal Court Overturns Lesser Prairie-Chicken Rule in Major Win for Kansas Counties and
Landowners
Garden City, KS — In a decisive victory for Kansas landowners and local government, the U.S.
District Court for the Western District of Texas has struck down the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s
burdensome “4(d) rule” imposed under the Endangered Species Act for the lesser prairie-chicken. The
Kansas Natural Resource Coalition (KNRC), alongside several Kansas ranching families, successfully
challenged the rule in partnership with Pacific Legal Foundation.
The ruling affirms what KNRC and its member counties have long asserted: federal agencies must
consider local economic impacts and respect the limits of their authority when regulating land use. The
now-vacated rule had asserted sweeping federal control over private property, jeopardizing the
livelihoods of Kansas ranchers and obstructing counties’ ability to deliver critical public services.
“The court’s decision is a clear rebuke of federal overreach,” said Bob Rein, President of the Kansas
Natural Resource Coalition. “This is more than a win for Kansas—it’s a win for common sense, private
property rights, and the principle that federal agencies must follow the law just like everyone else.”
Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Charles Yates, who led the litigation, emphasized the national
significance of the ruling: “By acknowledging that the Endangered Species Act requires the government
to balance conservation efforts with their economic impact, the court restored the ability of these
ranching families to earn a living,” said Yates. “Unburdened by the shackles of Chevron deference, the
court made clear that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service failed to follow the law when it issued
the rule.”
KNRC, an association of 33 Kansas county governments, remains committed to defending local control
and protecting both natural resources and private property from unlawful federal interference.
For additional information or to schedule interviews with KNRC leadership or Pacific Legal Foundation
attorneys, please contact:
Tracey Barton
Executive Director
Kansas Natural Resource Coalition
620-393-0007
tbarton@knrcoffice.org
