From the Sierra Club…. It’s take on several bills that would modify the ESA.
Whittled Down, Endangered Species Act Continues to Be Chipped Away
A raft of new proposals seek to weaken the ESA
“The Endangered Species Act is under attack. A number of Congress members have introduced legislation designed to chip away at the law, which is the bedrock of wildlife protections in the United States. While it’s unlikely that any of this legislation will become law—thanks to the “green line” that still exists in the Senate—the proposals are nevertheless alarming, as they illustrate some representatives’ eagerness to promote human interests over the needs of other species, even if that means extinction”
I’ve come to appreciate the moderating influence of the Senate. If it were up to the House, I’m afraid we would be repealing ESA this year, and passing a new one the next time the Ds are in charge, etc. It’s hard to imagine a government being able to function that way. And in the case of ESA, you would probably get irreversible damage in the R years.
One point about the idea of considering economic effects of listing. That’s a philosophy that similar laws in states and other countries have, but it’s totally different than ESA, and provides much less protection. Our law brings economics to bear as applied to a specific activity (as opposed to hypothetical future circumstances), where the “God squad” may determine that it should proceed despite the dire consequences expected for the species (though this provision has rarely been used). ESA uses science to put at-risk species on everyone’s radar so that they can make conscious decisions about their future instead of letting “whatever happen.”