Western States Outraged Over Changes to Endangered Species Act

Some wildlife species that were removed from the endangered species list by the Trump administration will be put back on under the Biden administration.

This move has reignited the debate about the purpose of the Endangered Species Act.

If a species is endangered, then it is protected.

But if a species falls just short of being endangered, what then?

Equally controversial is that the new rule requires officials not to consider economic impacts, including jobs when making Endangered Species Act listing decisions.

Watch below for remarks on the House floor prior to the congressional recess, Rep. Ron Estes (R-KS) spoke in support of S. J. Res. 9 which would delist the lesser prairie chicken from the Endangered Species Act.

“The Endangered Species Act is more important than ever to conserve and recover imperiled species now and for generations to come,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams said in a statement. “These revisions underscore our commitment to using all of the tools available to help halt declines and stabilize populations of the species most at-risk.”

For some environmental groups, the new rules don’t go far enough.

In the video below, remarks on the House floor Thursday, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) spoke in support of S. J. Res. 9, which would remove the Lesser Prairie Chicken's endangered status.

“Beyond giving D.C. bureaucrats the power to infringe on property rights and shut down good paying jobs, the reforms reject common sense in favor of big government regulations,” Lummis said in a statement. “These rules will not change the fact that less than 2% of species listed are recovered, but they will cost Wyoming and the West dearly.” Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.)