The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have proposed important revisions of their regulations implementing the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Services would change four aspects of their regulations: (1) the way they list and delist threatened and endangered species, (2) the way they designate critical habitat of listed species, (3) the way federal agencies consult with the Services about the effects of their actions on listed species, and (4) the way threatened species are protected. The proposals address longstanding concerns of the regulated community that the current regulations impose unnecessary burdens on landowners and other stakeholders without providing proportionate benefits to wildlife.
