Tiny Sand Colored Lizard Makes Big Legal Waves

Background: US Fish and Wildlife Department (USFWD) partners with Texas to protect the dunes sagebrush lizard. Conservationists not pleased as punch.

A person in the USFWD objected to allowing Texas to enter into voluntary pacts to conserve the lizard. The USFWD person gets relieved of their duties & relocated to Siberia by way of New Mexico. 

Issues: Declare the lizard an endangered species, would oil and gas industry weather away in the Permian Basin?  Is the USFWD person a whistleblower enttiled to legal protections?

Lawsuit #1, the Whistle Blower: Settles. 

Lawsuit #2, the little lizard: The whistleblower becomes a consultant. A group sues to protect the little lizard. They lose at district court. It’s on appeal.  

Houston Chronicle