Assault on the Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act stands as a landmark Federal Act that has had an important impact and benefit for birds and other wildlife. It is perhaps best marked by the recovery of the Bald Eagle, our emblematic national bird! The impact of DDT nearly wiped the Bald Eagle from the lower 48 states. Pymatuning Reservoir was the site of one of the last breeding pair in Pennsylvania many years ago. The ban of DDT and other measures, including the Endangered Species Act has led to the recovery of the Bald Eagle with widespread breeding success throughout our Commonwealth and across the country. The Bald Eagle has been “delisted” as an endangered species and has recently been named our “National Bird!” Despite the many examples of successes of the Endangered Species Act, it is now under its most serious assault in Congress! The protection of the Endangered Species Act has long been a priority of the National Audubon Society and other sister environmental organizations.
On March 7th , one of the sister organizations, Defenders of Wildlife, released a statement that “condemned the continued assault on the Endangered Species Act by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee. Rep. Westerman’s recently introduced bill “Endangered Species Amendment Act of 2025” comes on the heels of several recent hearings by the Committee on Natural Resources focused on rolling back key provisions of the ESA and other bedrock conservation laws. Rep. Westerman’s bill is the most recent anti-wildlife bill and would gut core protections that safeguard America’s wildlife by prioritizing politics over science, fast-tracking species to extinction.
“The Endangered Species Act is a historical promise that we will leave a future rich in wildlife for generations to come,” said Robert Dewey, vice president of government relations for Defenders. “It is a sad state of affairs that some politicians in Congress are actively working to weaken or eliminate essential protections and condemn our nation’s wildlife to extinction. We urge our elected leaders to consider the consequences of endorsing a bill that goes against American values and the overwhelming support of the American public for the Endangered Species Act.”
Although the bill has not yet been released in full, based on its sponsor’s press release it is apparent this destructive bill would roll back key ESA protections. It threatens to slow-walk species listing under the ESA, depriving species of the law’s protection while they continue to slide, and then to fast-track their delisting. The bill also threatens to undermine the work of the federal experts—including scientists with decades of experience—by shifting key pieces of imperiled species management to state agencies that may lack the resources to do this critical work. At a time when federal agency experts are already under attack from the administration, this bill adds insult to injury. Finally, the bill appears to strike at the heart of the ESA by gutting the consultation process that ensures that federal agencies themselves do not take actions likely to make species go extinct. Robert Dewey from Defenders of Wildlife noted that “At a time when climate change and a hostile administration are attacking our nation’s wildlife, it is more important than ever that we stand up for endangered species…. “This disastrously terrible bill would eliminate a time-tested approach in favor of a system that is being thrown into place with no preparation or research.”
The ESA has helped make America unmatched at preserving and restoring endangered species. 95% of the species listed in the ESA have been saved from extinction, including our nation’s symbol, the bald eagle. Attacks on the ESA threaten all this success and will result in irreversible damage to wildlife. The ESA needs no “reform.” The law is already remarkably flexible because of its mandate to follow the best available science, which evolves over time. The ESA also provides mechanisms accounting for the views of a broad set of stakeholders, including states and local jurisdictions, while providing last-resort protections that ensure that species do not disappear forever.
Reach out to your Congressional Representative to underscore the importance of the Endangered Species Act. Remind them that the Bald Eagle symbolizes one of the successes of the ESA. Eagle nests are now found in many places throughout the Commonwealth. Consider inviting your Congressional Representative on a “Bird Walk and Talk” to show them a Bald Eagle nest and share your support of a strong Endangered Species Act. For example, there are at least three Eagle nests in the fourth Congressional District. At least two are located withing minutes of the Congresswoman’s District Office in Glenside Pennsylvania. Members of the Liberty Bird Alliance Advocacy Committee will extend an invitation for a visit to one of these sites and underscore our support for these birds and the importance of the ESA. It is important for our Congressional representatives to hear from their constituents even when they are already a strong advocate for a strong ESA and other environmental issues!