The Endangered Species Act (ESA; P.L. 93-205, 16 U.S.C. SCSC 1531-1543) has been one of the more contentious environmental laws. This may stem from its strict substantive provisions, which can affect the use of both federal and nonfederal lands and resources. Under ESA, species of plants and animals (both vertebrate and invertebrate) can be listed as endangered or threatened according to assessments of their risk of extinction. Once a species is listed, powerful legal tools are available to aid its recovery and protect its habitat. ESA may also be controversial because dwindling species are usually harbingers of broader ecosystem decline. ESA is considered a primary driver of large-scale ecosystem restoration issues. The most common cause of species listing is habitat loss. The 111th Congress may consider whether to revoke ESA regulations promulgated in the waning days of the Bush Administration that would alter when federal agency consultation is required. In addition, legislation related to global climate change may include provisions that would allocate funds to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services endangered species program and/or to related funds to assist species adaptation to climate change. Other major issues concerning ESA in recent years have included the role of science in decision-making, critical habitat (CH) designation and procedures, protection by and incentives for property owners, and appropriate protection of listed species, among others. The authorization for spending under ESA expired on October 1, 1992. The prohibitions and requirements of ESA remain in force, even in the absence of an authorization, and funds have been appropriated to implement the administrative provisions of ESA in each subsequent fiscal year. Proposals to reauthorize and extensively amend ESA were last considered in the 109th Congress, but none was enacted. No legislative proposals were introduced in the 110th Congress to reauthorize the ESA. This report discusses oversight issues and legislation introduced in the 111th Congress to address specific concerns related to how ESA is implemented and how endangered and threatened species are managed.
Endangered Species Act (ESA) in ther 111th Congress: Conflicting Values and Difficult Choices, February 25, 2009
2009
25 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Ecology , Natural Resource Management , Botany , Zoology , Education, Law, & Humanities , Endangered species , Decision making , Listed species , Oversight issues , Legislation , Implementation , Funding , Congressional reports , Species management , United States Congress , Endangered Species Act , Public Law 93-205 , Critical Habitat(CH)
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