The Endangered Species Act is America’s most effective law for protecting wildlife in danger of extinction. Nearly all species listed under the ESA have been saved from disappearing forever and hundreds are on the path to recovery. Yet anti-wildlife members in Congress have launched an all-out assault on the ESA and the species under its protection. In the current Congress, almost 70 pieces of legislation have been proposed that would undermine the ESA or weaken protections for imperiled wildlife.
House of Representatives
Delays needed protections for the North Atlantic right whale from vehicle strikes.
Prevents the Services from listing imperiled foreign species under the ESA, which would harm global conservation efforts.
Exempts the Department of Defense and its contractors from following the requirements of the ESA, creating a massive loophole for all manner of military activities.
Increases the risk of delisting species which still need ESA protections while deterring the public from petitioning for imperiled species to be listed.
Exempts Federal land management agencies from having to reinitiate consultation on land management plans on new listings, critical habitat, or science.
Overrides scientific decision-making by stripping ESA protections for the lesser prairie-chicken, and prevents future listing no matter what risk the species faces.
Weakens the ESA by mandating information submitted by state, tribal or county government must be considered as “best available science” irrespective of actual merit.
Undermines the central purpose of the ESA by prohibiting the Services from distinguishing between naturally propagated animals and artificially propagated ones.
Forces the Services to delist the gray wolf in 44 states, and prevents courts from reviewing that delisting, undermining the scientific integrity of the ESA.
Transferring authority over anadromous species such as salmon from the National Marine Fisheries Service to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Prevents listing of imperiled species if there is "significant economic harm," repudiating the ESA's commitment to scientific integrity.
Forces the Service to delist the Greater Yellowstone grizzly bear population, and prevents courts from reviewing that delisting, undermining ESA scientific integrity.
Forces the Service to delist the Greater Yellowstone/NCDE grizzly populations, and prevents courts from reviewing that delisting, undermining scientific integrity.
Forces the Service to delist the NCDE grizzly bear population, and prevents courts from reviewing that delisting, undermining the scientific integrity of the ESA.
Strips ESA protections from foreign species once they are located in the US, allowing unrestricted hunting and inhumane captivity, and encouraging trafficking.
Overrides scientific decision-making by stripping ESA protections from the lesser prairie-chicken, and creates uncertainty about future listing.
Forces the Services to use an older, less protective definition of habitat, weakening future conservation planning.
Overrides scientific decision-making by stripping some ESA protections from the northern long-eared bat, and creates uncertainty about future listing.
Overrides military decision-making by forcing agencies to seek exemption from Rice's whale protections for activities at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
Significantly weakens agencies' abilities to enforce protections for the North Atlantic right whale.
Delays needed protections for the North Atlantic right whale from vehicle strikes.
Delays needed protections for the North Atlantic right whale from vehicle strikes.
Significantly weakens agencies' abilities to enforce protections for the North Atlantic right whale.
Prevents enforcement of any speed limit or other vessel mitigation rules created due to the presence of Rice's whale in the Gulf of Mexico.
Overrides scientific decision-making by preventing ESA protections for the dunes sagebrush lizard, and creates uncertainty about future listing.
Overrides scientific decision-making by preventing ESA protections for the greater sage-grouse across the US.
Exempts Federal land management agencies from having to reinitiate consultation on land management plans on new listings, critical habitat, or science.
Overrides scientific decision-making by preventing ESA protections from applying to the lesser prairie-chicken.
Interferes with NCDE grizzly bear conservation by blocking funding to create and implement a restoration plan.
Forces the Services to delist the gray wolf in 44 states, undermining the scientific integrity of the ESA.
Overrides scientific decision-making by preventing ESA protections from applying to the northern long-eared bat.
Weakens regulatory protections for the environment and human health from pesticides.
Overrides scientific decision-making by preventing ESA protections for the dunes sagebrush lizard, and creates uncertainty about future listing.
Prevents EPA from enacting common-sense regulations on rodenticides to protect listed species and human health.
Forces the Service to delist the Greater Yellowstone grizzly bear population, and prevents courts from reviewing that delisting, undermining ESA scientific integrity.
Overrides scientific decision-making by preventing ESA protections for the Salina mucket and Mexican fawnsfoot mussels.
Prohibits the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from strengthening current weakened ESA regulations.
Prevents NMFS from finalizing or administering a rule to better protect North Atlantic right whales from vehicle strikes.
Prevents federal agencies from complying with a court-approved agreement to expand protections for Rice's whale.
Overrides scientific decision-making by preventing ESA protections for the Texas kangaroo rat.
Overrides scientific decision-making by preventing ESA protections for the salamander mussel, and creates uncertainty about future listing.
Stops necessary funding for NCDE grizzly conservation, and leaves stakeholders uncertain whether projects can go forward without violating the ESA.
Prevents judicial review of the legislative delisting of the gray wolf.
Prevents EPA from enacting common-sense regulations on rodenticides to protect listed species and human health.
Strips ESA protections from all grizzly bears in the contiguous U.S., and stops needed conservation actions.
Overrides scientific decision-making and prevents NMFS from developing protections for the Rice's whale.
Requires the Services to withdraw proposals to strengthen ESA regulations.
Delays needed protections for the North Atlantic right whale from vehicle strikes.
Prevents NOAA from incidental take management for offshore wind energy.
Prohibits the Commerce Department from enforcing vehicle speed restrictions for North Atlantic right whale and Rice's whale.
Overrides scientific decision-making and prevents NMFS from developing protections for the Rice's whale.
Amends the ESA to remove take protections for sturgeon held in captivity.
Amends the ESA by allowing significantly weaker protections for endangered species.
Amends the Pittman-Robertson Act to strip protections from threatened species, undermine scientific decision-making, and underfund conservation efforts.
Exempts lake sturgeon from ESA listing in Michigan
Senate
Forces the Service to delist the Greater Yellowstone grizzly bear population, and prevents courts from reviewing that delisting, undermining ESA scientific integrity.
Prohibiting ESA protections for foreign imperiled species around the globe.
Overrides scientific decision-making by stripping ESA protections from the lesser prairie-chicken, and creates uncertainty about future listing.
Forces the Services to use an older, less protective definition of habitat, weakening future conservation planning, and creates uncertainty about future definitions.
Overrides scientific decision-making by stripping some ESA protections for the northern long-eared bat, and creates uncertainty about future listing.
Exempts Federal land management agencies from having to reinitiate consultation on land management plans on new listings, critical habitat, or science.
Strips ESA protections from gray wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, and threatens wolf protections across the contiguous U.S.
Delays needed protections for the North Atlantic right whale from vehicle strikes.
Strips ESA protections from the gray wolf across the contiguous U.S.
Strips ESA protections from all grizzly bears in the contiguous U.S., and stops needed conservation actions.
Overrides scientific decision-making by preventing ESA protections for the greater sage-grouse across almost the entire US.
Requires the Services to withdraw proposals to strengthen ESA regulations.
Amends the ESA to remove take protections for sturgeon held in captivity.
Indefinitely delays conservation measures for Rice's whale and favors the oil and gas industry over necessary conservation.
Instructs Senate NDAA conferees to insist final conference report retain Sec. 1853, H.R. 2670 which overrides military decision-making and harms Rice's whale.
Strips ESA protections from species found only within the borders of a single state -- 77% of all listed species.
Image
