July 9, 2025

DENVER – Western Energy Alliance today submitted public comments responding to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ (USFWS) request for information on improvements to voluntary conservation agreements under of Section 10(a) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The following statement is attributable to Alliance President Melissa Simpson:

“The Alliance shares the Trump Administration’s goal of improving the efficacy and efficiency of the conservation programs. Our members support conserving at-risk species and their critical habitat. They are among the foremost participants in federal and state, and private efforts to protect and conserve endangered and threatened species. We have played a key role in voluntary conservation efforts to protect species such as the dune’s sagebrush lizard, lesser prairie-chicken, greater sage-grouse, hookless cactus, American burying beetle, Dakota Skipper, and many more species. They have initiated voluntary conservation plans, enrolled millions of acres in conservation plans, and committed millions of dollars to fund habitat conservation and restoration programs. We have innate knowledge of processes that work, and do not work, to maximize private landowner and industry participation in these plans and ensure viable, functional plans that conserve the species and habitat.

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