Marking its 50th year, the act has saved numerous species of animals and plants and their habitats. All of these encounters with formerly endangered species are now possible because of the passage and enforcement of the Endangered Species Act, which President Richard M. Nixon signed into law 50 years ago on Dec. 28, 1973. The act is administered by two federal agencies: United States Fish and& Wildlife Service, and the National Marine Fisheries Service. Equally crucial is the “taking clause,” which prohibits any industrial or federal action that may result in “taking,” i.e., killing or imperiling, an endangered or threatened species. Throughout its conflicted history the act has been attacked by numerous polluting industries, and also by Republican presidents.

Source: The Herald May 27, 2023 08:54 UTC