# 2025-21599: Power Lines Threaten Rare Lizard: Feds Seek Public Input on Habitat Plan

2025-21599, Notice of Availability; Crossroads-Hobbs-Roadrunner Transmission Project Habitat Conservation Plan and Draft Environmental Assessment; Roosevelt and Lea Counties, New Mexico, is a Federal Register notice from Interior Department, Fish and Wildlife Service published 2025-12-01, effective 2025-12-31 (as of 2026-06-08).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-21599
- As of: 2026-06-08
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2025-21599
- Title: Notice of Availability; Crossroads-Hobbs-Roadrunner Transmission Project Habitat Conservation Plan and Draft Environmental Assessment; Roosevelt and Lea Counties, New Mexico
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: Interior Department; Fish and Wildlife Service
- Citation: 90 FR 55156
- Published: 2025-12-01
- Effective: 2025-12-31
- Comments close: 2025-12-31
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-08

## In one line

Power Lines Threaten Rare Lizard: Feds Seek Public Input on Habitat Plan

## Summary

Nextera Energy wants to build a 137-mile power line in Roosevelt and Lea Counties, New Mexico, which might affect the rare dunes sagebrush lizard. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is sharing a plan to protect the lizard’s habitat and a draft environmental report, asking everyone to share their thoughts by December 31, 2025. This project could change the local landscape and needs careful review before moving forward.

## Abstract

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, received an application from Nextera Energy Transmission Southwest, LLC for an incidental take permit (permit) supported by the Crossroads-Hobbs- Roadrunner Transmission Project: Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Habitat Conservation Plan (CTHCP) in Roosevelt and Lea counties, New Mexico. The CTHCP includes a proposed plan to build 137 miles of 345-kV transmission line in Roosevelt and Lea Counties. With this notice, we announce the availability for public comment of the proposed CTHCP and the draft environmental assessment (draft EA). If approved, the requested permit would authorize incidental take of the dunes sagebrush lizard. We invite comments from the public and Federal, Tribal, State, and local governments.

## Effects PRIA read

- Private land easements limit development: cost, medium. If you own private land in the project area, up to 6,000 acres of private land could be placed into conservation easements (about 3,678 acres of that within suitable dunes sagebrush lizard habitat). The Service says these easements aim to protect land from further large-scale development, and easem…
- State lands: 20,000 acres under restriction: cost, medium. The applicant proposes placing up to 20,000 acres of New Mexico State Land Office lands under Land Use Restriction or Condition (LURCs) for 35 years to improve habitat connectivity for the dunes sagebrush lizard. These LURCs are intended to connect conserved lands and would apply to State Land Offi…
- 137-mile transmission line approved for 60 years: cost, medium. If the permit is issued, the project would build a 137-mile, 345-kV transmission line in Roosevelt and Lea Counties with a 150-foot right-of-way (about 2,506 acres), temporary laydown yards (about 141 acres), 359 acres of access roads, and transmission structures; the Service says covered activitie…

## Related documents

- [2026-14629](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14629): Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat, 2026-07-21
- [2026-14633](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14633): Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations Pertaining to Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants, 2026-07-21
- [2026-14299](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14299): Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Contiguous U.S. Distinct Population Segment…, 2026-07-16
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## Sources
- [2025-21599 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/01/2025-21599/notice-of-availability-crossroads-hobbs-roadrunner-transmission-project-habitat-conservation-plan)
- [2025-21599 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-12-01/pdf/2025-21599.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2025-21598, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Managemen…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-21598)
- [Next: 2025-21600, Office of the Secretary; Notice of Meeting](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-21600)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-21599 (as of 2026-06-08).