Comptroller Susan Combs recently announced plans to support high quality research by state-funded universities on three species, which cover nearly three-fourths of the state and could potentially be listed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as endangered or threatened. The Texas Legislature appropriated $5 million to the Texas Comptroller for the research, which will be conducted on species that are designated as priorities.
 
The first species selected for research are freshwater mussels (12 mussels total); the spot-tailed earless lizard; and the desert massasauga (a snake). These species inhabit 190 Texas counties which contribute about $1.3 trillion of the state’s gross domestic product. Species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) could restrict the use of land and water..
 
There will be a competitive process using Request for Proposals through the Texas Register, which will be issued to all Texas public universities to solicit research proposals for the species.  The Comptroller’s office will work with state research leaders, the Fish and Wildlife Service and other state and federal government agencies to determine additional species in the future.
 
For more information on this initiative and to view counties are affected, visit www.KeepingTexasFirst.org.