Should the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard (aka the Sand Dune Lizard), a
3-inch striped reptile, be listed under the Endangered Species
Act? Here is the problem. The home of the Sand Dune Lizard is
also the home of the Permian Basin which, according to Forbes,
provides close to one-fifth of U.S. oil production. To survive,
the lizard needs the shinnery oak. Pipelines, road building, and
drilling destroy the shinnery oak. So, if this lizard is added
to the endangered species list, then oil drilling will be
affected, the US oil supply would be impacted, and the price of
domestic oil could rise. How to make a decision? For
cost/benefit analysis, knowing the money that is involved would
help. We probably could estimate how much the oil loss would
cost us. But what about a lizard? After the oil spill, BP faced
a similar question. To assess its dollar damages, a value had to
be placed on wildlife. USA Today told us that 2263 “visibly
oiled dead birds” were counted. An NPR Planet Money podcast
suggested that the $500 price t