Some groups claim Interior plans to gut Endangered Species Act By H. Josef Hebert, The Associated Press

The Interior Department is considering a broad revamping of how it protects animals and plants in danger of extinction, including changes that critics contend will reduce the number of species that will be saved. …

Some of the proposals would make obscure changes in how the law is implemented while others would be more direct, said [Jan Hasselman, an attorney in Seattle with Earthjustice], who has analyzed the documents. Together they would “fundamentally gut the intent” of the law protecting species in danger of extinction.
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One proposed change would narrow when species can be considered in danger of extinction. Currently that is widely interpreted as in some time — as the statute directs — “in the foreseeable future.” The draft papers suggest a more specific timetable of 20 years for some species and a specific number of generations for others, Hasselman said.

“This would severely limit listing of new endangered species,” he said.

Also being considered is giving more power to states in creating species recovery plans and in determining what plants and animals get protection, including the ability of governors to block attempts to reintroduce species in their states.

If governors had such power, gray wolves would not have re-emerged in Idaho or Montana, nor would the grizzly have been reintroduced to Idaho, [Kieran Suckling of the Center for Biological Diversity] said in a telephone interview. …

The department also hopes to narrow the geographic range over which a species must be protected. Protection would be limited to a plant or animal’s current habitat and not the geographic region it has historically occupied.

Another proposal would allow logging, development and other projects even if they threaten a species, as long as they do not “hasten” its extinction. Environmentalists said currently no projects are allowed if they have any impact on a listed species. …

“We hope Interior will back off on this,” [Daniel Patterson of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility] said. “It’s a radical weakening of the Endangered Species Act.”
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Endangered Species Program, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—Fisheries (also known as the National Marine Fisheries Service) are the two agencies charged with the administration and implementation of the Endangered Species Act. The goal of the Endangered Species Act is the recovery of listed species to levels where protection under the Act is no longer necessary.

http://www.fws.gov/endangered/recovery/