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Recovering America’s Wildlife Act

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If adopted, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (S. 2372 and H.R. 2773) introduced by Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) would provide $1.3 billion in dedicated funding annually for implementing state wildlife action plans.  With over 118 co-sponsors in the House, and 24 in the Senate, RAWA has significant momentum and could soon be law of the land. 

During a ConservAmerica webinar on October 12, panelists explored the challenges and opportunities for species conservation, the role of innovation and private landowners, and the implications for RAWA passage.

 

Currently, over 1,600 species are listed as either endangered or threatened in the United States under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  The number of candidate species continues to grow and many species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish and mollusks, and butterflies appear to be in decline.  

Since its adoption, many have debated the costs and effectiveness of recovering species under ESA’s inflexible and stringent requirements.  The national costs for recovering species are significant and estimated to be well over $1.2 billion annually.  Fortunately, there is a growing bipartisan consensus that state wildlife agencies can do more to keep species off the ESA list by actively monitoring and managing at-risk species, including encouraging more innovative techniques, tools, and partnerships.