AKRON BEACON JOURNAL • May 8, 2025
In 1973, the American people — speaking through their elected representatives — passed the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This landmark legislation received near-unanimous support from both Democrats and Republicans. The law unambiguously affirms that conservation is an American value. Following its passage, the responsibility for implementation was assigned to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. For decades, the ESA has been implemented based on the best available science, carefully balancing species protection with economic impacts and individual property rights. For more than 50 years, it has served as the gold standard for how Americans do conservation and is credited with saving hundreds of species from extinction. Unfortunately, a recent federal proposal threatens to undermine the ESA and make meaningful species protection nearly impossible. You can submit comments on the proposed rule change at: https://federalregister.gov/d/2025-06746