The 50 Issues

Issue #8: The Law of Nature

The Endangered Species Act (ESA)

The ESA is one of the most popular and effective environmental laws ever enacted. It is a commitment by the American people to work together to protect and restore species most at risk of extinction. The ESA is based on three key elements — listing species as threatened or endangered, designating habitat essential for their survival and recovery, and ultimately restoring healthy populations of the species so they can be removed from the list.

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Endangered Species Coalition is a national network of hundreds of conservation, scientific, religious, sporting, business, and community organizations working to protect endangered species and habitats. Through public education, scientific information, and citizen participation, we work to protect... read more


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Shoot to Kill - Gray Wolves De-Listed
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What You Can Do

  • Celebrate Endangered Species Day!
    May 16th is Endangered Species Day, a national celebration of America's commitment to protecting and recovering our nation's endangered species....
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Learn More About It

  • Citizen's Guide to ESA
    Reading the full text of the ESA can be daunting. Luckily Earthjustice and the Endangered Species Coalition have published a Citizens' Guide to the Endangered Species Act. This color booklet briefly outlines the history of wildlife-preservation efforts in this country, and provides...
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Environmental News

news Secretive Plan to Gut the ESA?

In April 2007, Salon.com uncovered a 117-page draft proposal by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service... read more

news Lawsuit to Stop Mexican Gray Wolf Removal

Two wildlife conservation groups filed a lawsuit Wednesday to keep federal agencies from aggressively... read more