Rep. Hageman on ESA Decision-Making: States Should Be Involved

Marine Mammal Protection Act Reforms

• 💡 The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) is in need of reform, with a discussion draft being reviewed.
• 🎯 Key reforms could include building flexibility into the act to allow the Fish and Wildlife Service to better conserve marine mammal populations in collaboration with partners and industry.
• ⚠️ Addressing unnecessary delays in issuing incidental take regulations and authorizations is crucial for timely project progression.

Endangered Species Act and State Management

• 🐻 The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is often misunderstood, particularly regarding species like the grizzly bear.
• 🎯 Wyoming has met and exceeded grizzly bear recovery goals, with the state spending over a million dollars on recovery efforts, while the Fish and Wildlife Service has spent significantly less.
• 📊 Wyoming's Game and Fish Department dedicates significant resources and personnel to grizzly bear recovery, demonstrating that states are actively managing wildlife.
• 🗺️ The Fish and Wildlife Service has far fewer personnel on the ground compared to state agencies that are responsible for wildlife management.

State Trust Responsibility and ESA Involvement

• ✅ States have a trust responsibility to manage wildlife for future generations, including providing accurate data on population health.
• 🔑 States typically take the primary role in wildlife management, even for endangered or threatened species.
• 🤝 The Fish and Wildlife Service can be a contributing partner, but the on-the-ground work is often executed at the state level.
• ⚖️ It is important to be cognizant of how the ESA is used and to ensure that processes are fair and equitable when recovery goals are met or plans are developed.
• 🏛️ Congress and the Fish and Wildlife Service should ensure that states, tribes, and local governments are included at all stages of the ESA decision-making process.