Endangered Species Act of Endangered Species Act of 1973, 1982, 1985, and 19881973, 1982, 1985, and 1988By Harrison Ellis & Amanda By Harrison Ellis & Amanda

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• President Nixon signed the bill President Nixon signed the bill December 28, 1973December 28, 1973

• ESA is administered by two ESA is administered by two federal agencies: United States federal agencies: United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Oceanic and and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).(NOAA).

-NOAA handles marine -NOAA handles marine species, species, and the FWS has and the FWS has responsibility responsibility over freshwater over freshwater fish and all fish and all other species.other species.

• ESA was designed to protect critically imperiled ESA was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and development”growth and development”

• ESA's primary goal = prevention of the extinction of ESA's primary goal = prevention of the extinction of imperiled plant and animals and to recover and imperiled plant and animals and to recover and maintain those populations by removing threats to their maintain those populations by removing threats to their survivalsurvival

• To be considered for endangered or threatened listing To be considered for endangered or threatened listing on ESA, the species must meet one of five criteria:on ESA, the species must meet one of five criteria:

1. There is the present or threatened 1. There is the present or threatened destruction of its habitat.destruction of its habitat.

2. An over utilization for commercial, 2. An over utilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or recreational, scientific, or educational purposes.educational purposes.

3. The species is declining due to disease or 3. The species is declining due to disease or predation.predation.

4. There is an inadequacy of existing 4. There is an inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms.regulatory mechanisms.

5. There are other natural or manmade 5. There are other natural or manmade factors affecting its factors affecting its continued existence.continued existence.

• 1982 Amendment- Status of species were required to 1982 Amendment- Status of species were required to be made solely on the basis of biological information be made solely on the basis of biological information without any consideration of possible economic effectswithout any consideration of possible economic effects

• 1985 Amendment- The Secretary must take steps to 1985 Amendment- The Secretary must take steps to implement the Western Convention: developing implement the Western Convention: developing personnel resources and programs, identifying species, personnel resources and programs, identifying species, habitats and cooperative measures to ensure that habitats and cooperative measures to ensure that species of migrating birds will not become threatened, species of migrating birds will not become threatened, and identifying measures for the protection of wild and identifying measures for the protection of wild plants. plants.

• 1988 Amendment- States that: Monitoring of candidate 1988 Amendment- States that: Monitoring of candidate and recovered species was required, recovery plans and recovered species was required, recovery plans will undergo public notice and review, requires five will undergo public notice and review, requires five years of monitoring of species that have recovered, years of monitoring of species that have recovered, protection for endangered plants was extended to protection for endangered plants was extended to include destruction on federal land and other taking include destruction on federal land and other taking when it violates state law, and reports are required on when it violates state law, and reports are required on the development and implementation of recovery plans the development and implementation of recovery plans and on the status of all species with plans. and on the status of all species with plans.

Endangered Species Act Amendments