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<br />OJ2287 <br /> <br />303-273-3413 E5EE CS~, <br /> <br />781 P10 <br /> <br />r1AR 31 "~2 10:51 <br /> <br />V. BACKGROUND ON ISSUES CONCERNING <br />THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />In the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, the Congress devised a multi- <br />faceted program for the identification and listing of threatened and endangered <br />species.. .and for ensuring that the activities of federal agencies and federal permittees <br />and licensees do not jeopardize the continued existence of endangered or threatened <br />species or destroy or adversely modify the designated .critical habitat" of such <br />species. <br /> <br />The Endangered Species Act was not the first law Congress passed to protect <br />endangered species. But one line sets it apart from every other environmental law evar <br />written in the U.S. In other laws, federal agencies were required to provide protection <br />.where practicable." The Endangered Species Act reqUires them to take "such action <br />necessary to ensure that the ections authorized, funded or carried out by them do not <br />jeopardize the continued existence of an endangered species. " <br /> <br />With that order, Congress elevated protection of all speCies to one of the U. S. <br />government's highest priorities. Gary Gerhardt, author of the newspaper column, <br />...,. Nature Watch, says: "With the possible exception of Intemal Revenue Service <br />regulations, there may be no tougher or restrictive law in the U.S. than the EIldangerBd <br />Species Act. " <br /> <br />THE PROBLEMS <br /> <br />. The Act is not accomplishing its stated purpose. <br />It's purpose as defined by the Act is: "to provide a means Whereby the <br />ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species depend may <br />be conserved, to provide a program for the conservation of such endangered <br />species and threatened species ..." <br /> <br />According to an audit by the Interior Department's inspector general, 3,600 <br />species await listing and 600 need "immediate protection" but have not been <br />officially listed. In the last 10 years, at least 34 plant and animal species became <br />extinct without "benefit of the Act." <br /> <br />. The funds to fulfill the mandates of the Act are not available. <br />According to the above mentioned audit: "It would cost $4.6 billion to fully <br />implement the act." <br /> <br />It costs about $60,000 to list a species. The Fish and Wildlife Service currently <br />spends about $8.4 million per year on recoverv olans. (Washington Post, Oct.23, <br />1990) The Fish and Wildlife Service currently get $33 million a year for the <br />oroaram. (Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 20, 1990) <br /> <br />-8- <br />