{ "id": "RL31654", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "RL31654", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 455683, "date": "2016-09-08", "retrieved": "2016-10-17T19:29:53.182404", "title": "The Endangered Species Act: A Primer", "summary": "The Endangered Species Act (ESA; P.L. 93-205, 87 Stat. 884. 16 U.S.C. \u00a7\u00a71531-1544) has a stated purpose of conserving species identified as endangered or threatened with extinction and conserving ecosystems on which these species depend. The ESA is perennially controversial because the protections provided can make it the visible policy focal point for underlying situations involving the allocation of scarce or diminishing lands or resources, especially in instances where societal values may be changing or traditional land use patterns are affected. As a result, the act often becomes controversial even where a particular species is not the focus of a controversy but a symptom of it. In response to past controversies, Congress has repeatedly considered minor amendments and major changes to the ESA.\nThe major features of the ESA and related controversies are briefly summarized as follows:\nESA retains its authorities even though its authorization for funding expired in 1992, and funds may be and have been appropriated in the absence of a current authorization. ESA prohibitions and penalties remain in effect regardless of appropriations.\nESA\u2019s principal parts are the listing and protection of species, designation of critical habitat and avoidance of its destruction, and consultation by federal agencies regarding actions that may harm listed species. \nDwindling species are listed as either endangered or threatened according to assessments of the risk of their extinction. Once a species is listed, legal tools are available to aid its recovery and to protect its habitat. \nESA has broad provisions for citizen suits to enforce the act, and lawsuits have played a major role in enforcement and interpretation of many, or perhaps most, of the act\u2019s provisions.\nESA provides for exemptions from the act for agency projects, but the provisions are little used for a variety of reasons. \nThe act is administered primarily by the Fish and Wildlife Service for terrestrial and freshwater and by the National Marine Fisheries Service for most marine and anadromous species.\nESA is the implementing legislation for U.S. participation in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL31654", "sha1": "33c5e62d6efb976bedebc1d4e084c4d0269413ba", "filename": "files/20160908_RL31654_33c5e62d6efb976bedebc1d4e084c4d0269413ba.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL31654", "sha1": "dfc51e089f3c9b50d35b662f845cb24047c57700", "filename": "files/20160908_RL31654_dfc51e089f3c9b50d35b662f845cb24047c57700.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4928, "name": "Wildlife & Ecosystems" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 447150, "date": "2012-10-09", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T21:40:32.941987", "title": "The Endangered Species Act: A Primer", "summary": "The Endangered Species Act (ESA, P.L. 93-205, 87 Stat. 884. 16 U.S.C. \u00a7\u00a71531-1544) has a stated purpose of conserving species identified as endangered or threatened with extinction, and conserving ecosystems on which they depend. It is perennially controversial because the protections provided can make it the visible policy focal point for underlying situations involving the allocation of scarce or diminishing lands or resources, especially in instances where societal values may be changing. In response to past controversies, Congress has repeatedly considered minor amendments and major changes to the act. No action has been taken to date in the 112th Congress, but the issue is likely to resurface in the 113th Congress.\nThe purpose of the report is to describe the major features and controversies of the ESA as background for consideration of possible amendments in the 113th Congress. The major features of ESA and related controversies are briefly summarized as follows:\nESA retains its authorities even though its authorization for funding expired in 1992, and funds may be and have been appropriated in the absence of a current authorization. ESA prohibitions and penalties remain in effect regardless of appropriations.\nESA\u2019s principal parts are the listing and protection of species, designation of critical habitat and avoidance of its destruction, and consultation by federal agencies regarding actions that may harm listed species. Each of these three principal parts is discussed in detail.\nDwindling species are listed as either endangered or threatened according to assessments of the risk of their extinction. Once a species is listed, legal tools are available to aid its recovery and to protect its habitat. \nESA has broad provisions for citizen suits to enforce the act, and lawsuits have played a major role in enforcement and interpretation of many, or perhaps most, of the act\u2019s provisions.\nESA provides for exemptions from the act for agency projects, but the provisions are little used for a variety of reasons. \nThe act is administered primarily by the Fish and Wildlife Service, and by the National Marine Fisheries Service for certain marine and anadromous species.\nESA is the implementing legislation for U.S. participation in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.\nESA often becomes controversial even where a particular species is not the focus of a controversy but a symptom of it.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL31654", "sha1": "ff0a460e0bba03b36c26f891765d33564d0fd4ba", "filename": "files/20121009_RL31654_ff0a460e0bba03b36c26f891765d33564d0fd4ba.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL31654", "sha1": "4f3d83b3d10357554be63eae11d23fa5959832f1", "filename": "files/20121009_RL31654_4f3d83b3d10357554be63eae11d23fa5959832f1.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 312, "name": "Endangered Species" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc813014/", "id": "RL31654_2010Jan26", "date": "2010-01-26", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "The Endangered Species Act: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20100126_RL31654_c5c4dd3ff7c63962cca1de9905a53d3d206ec25f.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20100126_RL31654_c5c4dd3ff7c63962cca1de9905a53d3d206ec25f.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc821155/", "id": "RL31654_2008Apr16", "date": "2008-04-16", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "The Endangered Species Act: A Primer", "summary": "The discussion on this report is expanded for four aspects of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and its implementation that have raised concerns and promoted debate\u2014listing species, designating critical habitat, consulting on projects, and exempting projects.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20080416_RL31654_8171b42a427164e1a87fb560dc4fe52e8685768d.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20080416_RL31654_8171b42a427164e1a87fb560dc4fe52e8685768d.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Endangered species", "name": "Endangered species" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Endangered animals", "name": "Endangered animals" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Protection of animals", "name": "Protection of animals" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc814725/", "id": "RL31654_2007Aug02", "date": "2007-08-02", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "The Endangered Species Act: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20070802_RL31654_d7a3f403e4df8cf561bbce320a6772c78393fc70.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20070802_RL31654_d7a3f403e4df8cf561bbce320a6772c78393fc70.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc810855/", "id": "RL31654_2007Jan08", "date": "2007-01-08", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "The Endangered Species Act: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20070108_RL31654_530d6a4fc738a99ea82709fc2d44efc95fdf2586.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20070108_RL31654_530d6a4fc738a99ea82709fc2d44efc95fdf2586.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc817327/", "id": "RL31654_2006Sep27", "date": "2006-09-27", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "The Endangered Species Act: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20060927_RL31654_a667243f31efe4ab80e869cb9db19a7f18c79864.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20060927_RL31654_a667243f31efe4ab80e869cb9db19a7f18c79864.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs9669/", "id": "RL31654 2005-03-31", "date": "2005-03-31", "retrieved": "2007-06-12T15:49:54", "title": "The Endangered Species Act: A Primer", "summary": "The Endangered Species Act (ESA)1 receives significant congressional attention. The associated power and reach of its comprehensive protection for species identified as endangered or threatened with extinction has ignited concern that there be appropriate bounds on this power. The following discussion provides an overview and background on the various features of the ESA that contribute to its stature and yet spark an ongoing debate over its implementation.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20050331_RL31654_9aad7dd96f9aff41245440ec4a707e215979a133.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20050331_RL31654_9aad7dd96f9aff41245440ec4a707e215979a133.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Animals", "name": "Animals" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Marine resources conservation", "name": "Marine resources conservation" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Habitat conservation", "name": "Habitat conservation" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Wildlife conservation", "name": "Wildlife conservation" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Endangered species - Law and legislation", "name": "Endangered species - Law and legislation" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Marine resources", "name": "Marine resources" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Natural resources", "name": "Natural resources" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Appropriations", "Energy Policy", "Foreign Affairs" ] }