The Obama administration is proposing policy to specify the Endangered Species Act's definition of "significant portion of [a species'] range". The public comment period closes on Feb 7. If you have been following this proposed policy, please post a reply with your take on whether or not the proposal undermines the ESA.
My take is that the proposed policy would undermine the ESA by excluding consideration of a species' historic range when determining whether a species should be listed. Knowing what a species' historic range relative to its current range is obviously an important piece of information in understanding the threats to a species and whether it deserves protection, however under this policy, any loss of a species' historic range could not be counted toward the "significant portion of its range", only the currently occupied range can be considered. The argument goes that the bald eagle would never have been listed because at the time of listing it was doing great in Alaska despite its near disappearance in the lower 48. Nonetheless, the proposed policy seems to take an opposing view, it states that: Listing a species when it is endangered or threatened in a "significant portion of its range" before it is endangered or threatened throughout all its range may allow the Services to protect and conserve species and the ecosystems upon which they depend before large-scale decline occurs throughout the entire range of the species. This may allow protection and recovery of declining organisms in a more timely and less costly manner, and on a smaller scale than the more costly and extensive efforts that might be needed to recover a species that is endangered or threatened throughout all its range. Here's the notice in the Federal Register with links to submit comments: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-12-09/html/2011-31782.htm Here's a short read on it from the Washington Post, based on concerns voiced by Representative Markley's (D-Mass): http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/obama-ally-suggests-administration-is-undermining-endangered-species-act/2012/01/27/gIQAzlLaWQ_story.html Thanks in advance for replying with your take on this one. Best, Pete Epanchin
