Endangered Species Act Under Threat
photo (c) Jodi Frediani
administration aims to dismantle the endangered species Act despite broad public support
Since it's passage by Congress in 1973 with strong bipartisan support at the request of then President Richard Nixon, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has been one of the most effective environmental policies in American history. Under the ESA, 99 percent of listed species have recovered within their designated timeline. Yet, despite overwhelming support from the American public (90% either somewhat or strongly support the law, including 75% of conservatives), Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is proposing rule changes that would effectively dismantle it. The proposed changes would decrease protections for threatened species, make it more difficult to list new species and habitats, remove opportunities for public input, and limit the use of scientific data to inform decision making processes. You can learn more about the proposed changes here: Sweeping Changes Proposed to the Endangered Species Act.
Proposed Changes
Links to the proposed changes are provided below. During the public comment period, ACS San Francisco Bay Chapter urged our community members to submit comments against any changes or dismantling of the ESA. The public comment period for the proposed changes closed on September 24, 2018. ACS will be monitoring this issue.