Kansas lawmakers have introduced legislation to remove the lesser prairie chicken from the endangered and threatened species list and permanently bar it from being listed again.

The lesser prairie chicken, a type of grouse, is divided into two populations: the northern group, found in Kansas, Colorado, western Oklahoma, and the northern Texas Panhandle, is classified as threatened; the southern group, in the southern Texas Panhandle and New Mexico, is listed as endangered.

For over 20 years, the Fish and Wildlife Service has worked with landowners to protect the bird’s habitat voluntarily. However, its listing under the Endangered Species Act has faced significant opposition due to its impact on ranching, farming, and energy development in its habitat, which includes areas above potential oil and gas reserves.

On Tuesday, Representative Tracy Mann, Senator Roger Marshall, and Representatives Derek Schmidt and Ron Estes introduced a resolution to delist the bird. Kansas previously threatened legal action over the listing, and the Biden administration has vetoed prior attempts to remove the bird’s protections.