Two key small landowner protection provisions were added to the ESA Amendments Act as one of the House Natural Resource Committee’s last actions for 2025.
American Stewards has been calling on Congress to end the Endangered Species Act, or more accurately, the “Failing Species Act,” for years. This oppressive law has been failing species and people since its enactment over 50 years ago.
Finally, the House Natural Resources Committee passed H.R. 1897, the ESA Amendments Act of 2025, by a voice vote that included several amendments, including two recommended by American Stewards.
Under Sec. 406 of the bill, the Secretary of the Interior will be required to perform an analysis to determine if a species is threatened or endangered. This analysis will include how a listing will determine effects on local economies, on national security, and on human health and safety.
A key amendment was added to this section during committee mark-up that requires this analysis to be “prepared in coordination with the States, local governments, and Tribes impacted by the determination.”
This amendment was offered by Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN) as recommended by American Stewards. This coordination requirement ensures that the impacts to States, local governments and Tribes be considered as the agency makes a determination whether to list a species as endangered or threatened. In practical terms, this means the agency can no longer ignore local data contributed by counties and Special Districts when making their determination. This could have the effect of preventing species from being listed simply because the agency will no longer be able to ignore local data or science.
Representative Paul Gosar from Arizona offered another of our key recommendations. His amendment requires congressional approval of critical habitat designations over 50,000 acres. He included language that enhances federalism consultation mandates, and examines the economic impact of ESA designations on local communities. It was also successfully amended into the ESA bill.
We thank Chairman Westerman, and the Sub-Committee Chairs Hageman, Stauber and Gosar for their leadership to amend these protections into the Endangered Species Act giving an enormous voice to landowners nationwide who have had to shoulder the burden of a listed species found on their private property.
Next stop for the bill is the House floor, which hopefully will advance this year.
We still have six more recommended Amendments that will protect small landowners, and could be added into the bill before it passes the House. Go here to see how you can help.
