Endangered Species Act Overview
Scientific Background and Major Provisions
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) frequently receives significant congressional attention. It offers comprehensive protection for species identified as endangered or threatened with extinction. Over the years, the power of this protection has ignited calls for greater bounds on this power, as well as assertions of its lax implementation. History and Competing Interests What Is the ESA? The ESA is a comprehensive attempt to provide legal protection to identified species and to consider habitat protection as an integral part of that effort. It is administered primarily by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for terrestrial and freshwater species, but also by…
