The Endangered Species Act (ESA) protects hundreds of animal species listed as threatened and without it, animals like the piping plover and the northern spotted owl and grey wolf could go extinct. It is one of the most effective environmental policies in American history with 99 percent of species listed recovering in their designated timeline.
However, this week Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke proposed three rule changes that would effectively dismantle the Endangered Species Act.
These rule changes, if passed, would be devastating. They would weaken protections for vulnerable “threatened” species, remove opportunities for public input and make it harder to hold wildlife agencies accountable for their actions. These changes are clearly designed to make it easier for pipelines, roads, and even drilling and fracking projects to gain speedy approvals. Our wildlife deserves better!
The Endangered Species Act is a wild success. Tell Sec. Zinke: Don’t dismantle the Endangered Species Act.
