Be prudent with endangered species reform

Congressional Republicans last week rolled out a handful of bills aimed at reforming the Endangered Species Act, the landmark law passed more than 40 years ago that aims to protect and recover species on the brink of extinction.

Republicans hope to revise portions of the law that they describe as largely ineffective, and say the bills will allow officials to focus on “actual conservation efforts.”

One of the proposals would allow economic factors to be considered in decisions about listing species. Another would cap attorneys’ fees in ESA lawsuits. The bills would also block further review of a decision to delist gray wolves in Wyoming and the Midwest.

At least one Democrat sided with that proposal. Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota argued that under the ESA, Midwest farmers aren’t allowed to kill the wolves even if they attack cattle or pets. He said states, not the federal government, would be better equipped to make those management decisions.

While there are valid points being brought forward in this slate of legislation that deserves careful consideration, legislators shouldn’t lose sight of the success stories that have happened under the ESA either.

The pending removal of Yellowstone’s grizzly bear population from federal protections is one shining example of conservation success under the ESA. When the bears were listed in 1975 there were only 136 grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone. The population now exceeds 700 bears.

Other notable success stories include the recovery of the California condor, peregrine falcon and the bald eagle.

We tend to agree with Greg Sheehan, acting director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, when he compares the ESA to a hospital with limited beds.

“Success of the ESA will ultimately be defined by the number of patients leaving the hospital, not the number going in,” he said.

So let’s take a look at these bills and see if there are areas where the ESA can be improved or made more equitable, while also remembering the success stories the show how the law remains a powerful tool in conservation.