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34 REFLECTIONS ON THE ACT about its intractability, its inconvenience, and its resistance to the application of practical interpretation have been demon- strated to be without merit. For instance, Section 7 of the act requires federal agencies to "consult" with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine whether actions proposed by an agency will lead to the "jeopardy" of any listed species. These consultations, more often than not, have resulted in minor ad- justments to a proposed action in order to accommodate the needs of a species. Some consultations take months of discussion among experts; most, however, are concluded with a telephone call or exchange of letters. In recent years, the act's influence has resulted in innovative solutions that have sparked the enthusiasm of everyone- in- volved. Ahousing development in California that might have eliminated a rare butterfly -was changed to accommodate the needs of the insect. The developer has emphasized and exploited his commitment to this idea, and residents of the new develop- ment are proud of their co-dwellers. The strength of the act has been tested many times but re- mains unwavering. The means by which the act is carried out, however, have been changed-and in most cases ought to have changed. Laws which provide little room for flexibility, or which are applied without an opportunity for the public to understand them and shape their nature, are doomed in the long run. Yet in spite of its strength, the act is vulnerable; its armor is not seam- less. It is vulnerable to political intervention and to decisions that are based on political expediency rather than what is best for a species. It is not easy to resist the pressure to make special arrangements to allow the advance of a project. Proponents may justify such accommodations on the grounds of national secu- rity, overwhelming national economic interests, or the clearly superior need demonstrated by the very merits of a proposal. The administrator of the act is always conscious of the possi- bility of powerful forces effecting a change in the act that may have shattering future consequences. One is always aware of the need to strike a balance, to proceed with caution, to accom- modate today in order to prevail tomorrow. Yet the act has been honed and polished in such a way that it need not be compromised. Its strength will grow because the credibility of what it stands for will be enhanced. As life becomes more com- plicated and the burgeoning needs of the human species im-