“Members of both parties agree that the current Endangered Species Act (ESA) has failed to effect the recovery of threatened and endangered species, and the law needs to be fixed.  Although there are differences on exactly how the ESA should be changed, there is universal agreement that process of crafting this legislation is far from over.  I am confident that the final legislation will address the provisions of the ESA that have fallen short of the original authors’ expectations. 

“Much of the discussion so far has focused the law’s critical habitat provision.  Hawaii is one of the few places where it has worked well, but that was only because of an unusual and fortunate confluence of circumstances. We need to continue working on this legislation so that it can be as successful nationally as it has been in Hawaii.

“It is important to note that both the Democratic substitute amendment and the Committee bill which passed the House today eliminated the law’s provision on critical habitat.  However, both bills contain language that will allow species recovery plans to restrict development and other uses on lands vital to the survival and recovery of endangered species.”

Abercrombie voted in favor of both the Democratic substitute amendment and, when the amendment failed to pass, for the bill language approved earlier this week by the House Resources Committee.

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