I believe the Endangered Species Act’s intention of protecting species is good, but I believe those good intentions have gone off track. The law is failing to lead to the de-listing of species.
In the 30 years that ESA has been around, more than 1,300 species have been listed as threatened or endangered. Oddly enough though, only a handful of species have recovered to the point of being de-listed, because agencies do not have clear standards about when a species should be de-listed.
I believe that we must protect species that are truly threatened or endangered, but we cannot lose sight of the real goal: recovery and delisting. The law should be supported by sound science and need, and be accompanied by a recovery plan that will lead to de-listing.
I will look forward to talking more about this important issue when I take it to the Senate floor next week.