The Endangered Species Act: Political implications of delisting a recovered species

Abstract

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) reflects society's concern over the rate of species extinction and aims to halt or reverse this trend. Several policies of the ESA protect listed species over resource development projects. Due to this protection, several listed species have recently experienced a recovery. Two have been removed, or delisted, from the federal Endangered Species list. Once a recovered species becomes delisted, the majority of these protections are removed. This paper analyzes the political implications of such delistings utilizing formal interviews, personal experiences, and a literature search. Through analysis, it is found that two specific policies seem to protect delisted species. It is concluded that a quantitative analysis may be premature at this time due to the small number of recovered species and that these policies must be effected to their fullest potential to ensure the long-term success of the federal endangered species program.