ESA Legislative Update

The Committee on Natural Resources (Committee) in the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a number of bills regarding wildlife, including bills to reauthorize the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). While it is unclear whether any of these will gain traction, collectively they represent a significant effort to reform federal wildlife law. Below is a summary of the Committee's efforts:

ESA Reauthorization: Committee Chair Westerman (R-Arkansas) is the lead sponsor of H.R. 1897. The Committee held a hearing on this bill on March 25, 2025. The bill addresses all of the major provisions of the ESA, including sections 4, 7, and 10, with changes proposed to listing, critical habitat, recovery, consultation, and habitat conservation planning provisions and codification of candidate conservation agreements as a conservation tool.