Public Comment Opposing Revisions to the Endangered Species Act

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal agencies have proposed major revisions to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that would weaken science-based protections, reduce habitat safeguards, and make it harder for vulnerable species to receive the protections they need to survive.

The Xerces Society invites members of the public to sign on to our letter opposing changes that would weaken one of the best tools we have to protect at-risk invertebrates.  In our letter, we make the following points:

• The proposed revisions weaken science-based ESA protections and introduce economic and political influence into listing decisions.
• Invertebrates—already in steep decline and underrepresented on the list of protected species—would face even greater barriers to protection.
• Removing the blanket 4(d) rule and weakening Section 7 consultations would delay or reduce critical habitat safeguards.
• The proposed changes repeat flawed 2019 proposals that conflicted with science, law, and public support.
• The ESA already provides needed flexibility; weakening it would harm conservation, and the revisions should be withdrawn.