Endangered Species Rule Restored

" The Obama administration has restored a regulation requiring federal wildlife experts to conduct a review before implementation of any government project that may impact threatened or endangered species. "

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced today that the Obama administration will reverse an Endangered Species Act (ESA) regulation finalized in the final months of the Bush administration.

The rule removed the long-standing requirement under Section 7 of the ESA for federal agencies to consult with experts at FWS and NMFS in cases where their actions may impact endangered species. Instead, it permitted each agency to decide on its own whether or not to consult.

"We are gratified Secretary Salazar and Secretary Locke acted to restore the Endangered Species Act to its intended strength," said Darin Schroeder, Vice President for Conservation Advocacy at American Bird Conservancy.

Congress granted the administration the authority in the recent omnibus appropriations bill to fast-track the reversal of the regulations. A coalition of Chief Executive Officers of national environmental groups, including American Bird Conservancy President George Fenwick, had called on Secretary Salazar to reverse the ESA regulation.

"The Western Oregon Plan Revisions, a plan to increase logging of mature and old growth forests in Oregon, is an example of why ESA consultation is so important," said Schroeder.

"The plan, which was approved without consulting with wildlife experts, reduces habitat protection for dwindling salmon stocks and increases take of the threatened Northern Spotted Owl and Marbled Murrelet including the elimination of an estimated 680 Spotted Owl sites over the course of its implementation. It should be withdrawn so that consultation can take place."

At a celebration in March honoring the 160th anniversary of the creation of the Department of the Interior, President Obama announced his intention to "...restore the scientific process to its rightful place at the heart of the Endangered Species Act; a process undermined by past administrations."