Endangered Species
In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act, recognizing that: (1) various species of fish, wildlife, and plants in the United States have been rendered extinct as a consequence of economic growth and development untempered by adequate concern and conservation,(2) other species of fish, wildlife and plants have been so depleted in numbers that they are in danger of or threatened with extinction, and (3) these species of fish, wildlife, and plants are of esthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and scientific value to the United States and its people. The intended purpose of the Act is to provide a means by which the ecosystems upon which endangered and threatened species depend may be conserved and to provide a program for the conservation of those species.
Important components of the
Endangered Species Act include:
(1) listing/recovery [Section
4], (2) cooperation with states [Section 6], (3) consultation [Section
7], (4) enforcement [Section 9], and (5) incidental take permits [Section
10]. Section 4 provides the process
by which species are added to or removed from the official list of endangered
or threatened species, and by which recovery plans are developed; Section
6 allows the Service to enter into cooperative agreements with states to
implement recovery activities. Section 7 requires
all Federal agencies to consult with the Service for all actions they authorize,
fund, or carry out; Section 9 prohibits take of listed species and provides
penalties for violations; and Section 10 allows the Service to issue permits
for incidental take of listed species for scientific purposes, or through
the development of habitat conservation plans (HCP's) by non-Federal entities.
Learn more about the Endangered Species Act.
The Tennessee Field Office is actively involved in Section 7 consultations and Section 4 listing and recovery activities. Tennessee currently or historically has provided habitat for over 90 species of threatened or endangered plants or animals.Questions concerning endangered species can be addressed to Mr. Geoff Call (geoff_call@fws.gov), or Ms.Stephanie Chance (stephanie_chance@fws.gov).
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA’s Fisheries Service
Propose Policy to Improve Implementation of Endangered Species Act
A new federal policy proposed today will help clarify which species or populations of species are eligible for protection under the Endangered Species Act and will provide for earlier and more effective opportunities to conserve declining species.
