Senate Changes to Endangered Species Act Tries to Solve a Problem that Doesn’t Exist

The Senate Environment and Public Works committee, led by Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY), held a hearing today on proposed changes that would drastically weaken our nation’s most successful law for saving wildlife from extinction, the Endangered Species Act.

The following statement is from Jamie Rappaport Clark, Former president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife:

“Weakening the Endangered Species Act is not a solution to saving species. It’s a death sentence for gray wolves, grizzly bears, Florida manatees and hundreds of other species facing extinction.

“This bill is all about politics, not science. Sen. Barrasso and other anti-wildlife politicians want to wrest authority away from the scientists and wildlife experts who know best how to save species and give it to states that the lack the laws, resources and sometimes the political will to do the right thing for endangered wildlife.

“The Endangered Species Act already provides ample opportunity for local, state, tribal and federal agencies to participate and provide input on listing, recovery plans and habitat conservation. Sen. Barrasso’s proposal will undermine this highly successful approach by politicizing the recovery process, excluding science, and exempting decisions from judicial review. The Endangered Species Act doesn’t need to be ‘modernized.’ It needs to be fully funded so it can do its job to save wildlife and wild places.”