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The Endangered Species Act (ESA; P.L. 93-205, 16 U.S.C. \u00a7\u00a7 1531-1543) has been one of the
more contentious environmental laws. This may stem from its strict substantive provisions, which
can affect the use of both federal and nonfederal lands and resources. Under ESA, species of
plants and animals (both vertebrate and invertebrate) can be listed as endangered or threatened
according to assessments of their risk of extinction. Once a species is listed, powerful legal tools
are available to aid its recovery and protect its habitat. ESA may also be controversial because
dwindling species are usually harbingers of broader ecosystem decline. ESA is considered a
primary driver of large-scale ecosystem restoration issues. The most common cause of species
listing is habitat loss.

days of the Bush Administration that would alter when federal agency consultation is required. In
addition, legislation related to global climate change may include provisions that would allocate
funds to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\u2019s endangered species program and/or to related funds
to assist species adaptation to climate change. Other major issues concerning ESA in recent years
have included the role of science in decision-making, critical habitat (CH) designation and
procedures, protection by and incentives for property owners, and appropriate protection of listed
species, among others.

The authorization for spending under ESA expired on October 1, 1992. The prohibitions and
requirements of ESA remain in force, even in the absence of an authorization, and funds have
been appropriated to implement the administrative provisions of ESA in each subsequent fiscal
year. Proposals to reauthorize and extensively amend ESA were last considered in the 109th
Congress, but none was enacted. No legislative proposals were introduced in the 110th Congress
to reauthorize the ESA.

This report discusses oversight issues and legislation introduced in the 111th Congress to address specific concerns related to how ESA is implemented and how endangered and threatened species are managed.

Most Recent Developments............................................................................................................. 1 Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 1 Background and Analysis................................................................................................................ 1

Overview................................................................................................................................... 1
Major Provisions of Domestic Law.......................................................................................... 3
Listing................................................................................................................................. 3
Critical Habitat.................................................................................................................... 3
Prohibitions and Penalties................................................................................................... 4
Permits and Consultation.................................................................................................... 4
Exemptions......................................................................................................................... 5
Emergencies........................................................................................................................ 6
Recovery Plans................................................................................................................... 7
Land Acquisition and Cooperation..................................................................................... 7
Miscellaneous..................................................................................................................... 7
Implementation of Wildlife Treaties......................................................................................... 8
Are Species Protection and Restoration Working?................................................................... 8

Revised Regulations for Consultation..................................................................................... 10
Critical Habitat Designation.................................................................................................... 12
\u201cSound Science\u201d and ESA...................................................................................................... 12
Information Quality.......................................................................................................... 13
Court Cases on ESA and Science...................................................................................... 14
Endangered Species and Climate Change............................................................................... 15
Regional Resource Conflicts................................................................................................... 16
Klamath River Basin......................................................................................................... 16
Pacific Salmon Restoration............................................................................................... 17
Delta Smelt....................................................................................................................... 17
Counterpart Regulations: Pesticides and Fire Management Projects...................................... 18
Private Property and Fifth Amendment Takings..................................................................... 19
Additional Legislative Initiatives............................................................................................ 20