Endangered Species Under Legislative Fire

Last week the Interior Department submitted major changes for approval to the Endangered Species Act, a hallmark of conservation legislation in the United States which has helped restore crucial apex species like grizzly bears and bald eagles to ecosystems across the country.

These changes make it easier for roads, pipelines, and other construction projects to gain approval. Critics of the legislation argue that this act hinders economic development. This legislation has gone unchanged since 1973 and, despite this continuity, the United States has seen an increase in endangered species across multiple groups over the past decade.