Bill > HR1897

This bill, the ESA Amendments Act of 2025, proposes significant changes to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), aiming to optimize conservation efforts, incentivize private land conservation, enhance recovery incentives, improve transparency and accountability, streamline permitting, remove barriers, and restore congressional intent. Key provisions include establishing a national listing work plan to prioritize species for review and listing, creating "Conservation Benefit Agreements" to encourage private landowners to participate in conservation efforts with assurances against future restrictions, and exempting certain conservation agreements from environmental reviews like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The bill also seeks to clarify definitions within the ESA, such as "foreseeable future" and "habitat," and introduces new criteria for designating critical habitat, allowing for exclusions based on economic impacts or existing conservation efforts. Furthermore, it mandates greater transparency by requiring online publication of the data used for listing species and designating critical habitat, and enhances accountability by detailing expenditure reporting for litigation related to the ESA. The bill also aims to streamline the permitting process by limiting "reasonable and prudent measures" in consultations and clarifying what constitutes "jeopardy" to a species. Finally, it proposes to rename the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to the "Endangered Species Recovery Act" and adjusts authorization of appropriations for conservation programs.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1897/all-info