A White Paper: Endangered Species Act of 1973

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PROPOSED AMENDMENTS (Continued) • Exemption Procedure. That procedures for exempting species from listing meet the needs of the public by allowing public access to the process. That the exemption process require all relevant information, including budget and social costs, be available. • Public Participation. That a public involvement process such as the community relations program required by CERCLA be included in the Act. This would include mandated public hearings in the locale to be affected by the listing. Intent to list must be published for five consecutive days in the major publications, should announce public hearing and include identified budget and social impacts. • Scientific Peer Review of Data That scientific data submitted to support a listing or recovery plan be reviewed by a scientific peer panel from the National Academy of Science appointed by the Secretary. That such data include budget and social cost projections. That Review Committee report their concurrence or non- concurrence and /or recommendations for revision within 90 days to the Secretary of Interior prior to considerations for listing. The statute should be amended to require that deliberations by a Review Committee be published in the Federal Register at least 90 days before any final action on the listing petition, to allow the public to evaluate the substantive data and respond before a final agency determination is made. • Additional Changes to Listing Process Time Frame for Listing. The maximum time for listing will be changed from 12 months to 24 months from date of the petition. Congressional Hearings That there shall be a congressional hearing for each proposed listing. Su species That listing of subspecies shall be deleted from the Act. Proposed change: 1 532. Definitions, ESA 3 (16) The term "species" includes any sub6peoiee species of fish or wildlife or plants. -7-