Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate to amend the Endangered Species Act. Public Lands Council along with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association backs the measure. Public Lands Council Executive Director Dustin Van Liew says the legislation requires the publication of a draft economic analysis of economic effects of critical habitat designations.
Van Liew says it’s common sense legislation that’s been needed for some time as the Endangered Species Act hasn’t been revised for a number of years. He says several groups have taken advantage of the Act and this measure will reign in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and make them consider all the impacts before listing a species as endangered.
Van Liew says his group and NCBA intend to continue working with the new Congress for even more changes to the Endangered Species Act. He says one they’ll be pushing is limiting the listing of species to one at a time. Another is getting more local and state governments involved in the process.