Six Republican bills could change the face of the Endangered Species Act, says High Country News. For example, the Federally Integrated Species Health Act, introduced by California Republican Rep. Ken Calvert, would turn management of endangered salmon species entirely over to the Fish & Wildlife Service. As of now, the National Marine Fisheries Service co-manages endangered salmon with FWS.
“First, the Fish and Wildlife Service already has a backlog of candidate endangered species that it lacks time or funds to list, let alone manage, and this bill does not add any funds. Additionally, the current Department of the Interior prioritizes energy production such as hydropower over conservation,” explains High Country News.
Farmers who blame advocacy groups for prioritizing water for salmon streams over irrigated fields are amongst the bill’s proponents.
Other bills impact the way data is collected in deciding if a species should be listed and whether citizens who bring a suit under the ESA can recover attorney fees. For a full run-down of all six proposed rules, see High Country News.