Today, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) released draft legislation to drastically undermine the Endangered Species Act, our nation’s most effective law for protecting wildlife in danger of extinction and the forests, meadows, and streams those species need to survive.

Under Senator Barrasso’s proposed legislation, key authority for conserving species would be shifted from the federal government to individual states, despite the fact that the Endangered Species Act is a law of last resort; species are only listed after state management has proven insufficient to prevent extinction. The legislation would also undermine citizens’ ability to go to court and help ensure that the Endangered Species Act is properly implemented and enforced.

The following statement is from Marjorie Mulhall, Earthjustice’s Legislative Director for Lands, Wildlife, and Oceans:

“The Endangered Species Act is our nation’s most effective law for protecting wildlife in danger of extinction. It has prevented 99 percent of species under its care from going extinct, including our national symbol, the bald eagle. Yet here, just ahead of the Fourth of July, Senator Barrasso has released a bill that would severely undermine our nation’s commitment to protecting wildlife. Rather than working to undercut a law that works, Congress should fully fund recovery efforts for endangered species.”