Sen. Cramer, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Prevent Proposed Changes to Endangered Species Act

BISMARCK - U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, joined his colleagues in cosponsoring legislation to prevent the U.S. Departments of Interior and Commerce from finalizing three proposed rules pertaining to the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

In 2019, the Trump administration finalized key changes to the ESA which added more flexibility for affected stakeholders while also ensuring species’ recovery plans take a tailored and targeted approach. However, the Biden administration has moved to repeal those changes.

This legislation, introduced by U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-WA), would require the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to withdraw the proposed rules.

“The proposed rules to repeal Trump-era ESA regulations are one of the many examples of the Biden administration’s regulatory ping-pong,” said Senator Cramer. “We need less regulation and more certainty for landowners. The administration’s attempt to change the rules of the game to benefit their radical environmentalist team does nothing to help our landowners.”

“Abandoning clear and well-functioning Trump-era reforms in favor of a one-size-fits-all mandate from disconnected Washington bureaucrats underscores just how out of touch this administration is with western priorities,” said Senator Lummis. “Our landowners and ranchers need certainty, not unnecessary regulatory headaches. This administration continues to tout confusing and less effective policies that ultimately hurt the west. The Biden administration needs to stop this big government exercise of forgoing a solution in search of a problem and stick with what is already working.”

“For far too long, radical environmental activists have weaponized the Endangered Species Act against farmers, ranchers, landowners, and rural communities while recovering less than five percent of species listed over the last 50 years," said Congressman Newhouse. "The proposed rules from Biden’s Fish and Wildlife Service will only encourage further disruptions by activists and make it even more difficult for true conservationists to assist with species recovery. As Chairman of the Western Caucus, I’m proud to introduce legislation along with Senator Lummis to prevent these egregious rules from taking effect and to steer the ESA back to its intended purpose of helping species recover without being a barrier to prosperity for our rural communities.”

Joining U.S. Senators Cramer and Lummis, and U.S. Representative Newhouse are U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Risch (R-ID), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Steve Daines (R-MT), Jerry Moran (R-KS), John Hoeven (R-ND), Mike Rounds (R-SD), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Ted Cruz (R-TX). The House bill is cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Harriet Hageman (R-WY) and Lauren Boebert (R-CO).

Click here for bill text.

Background:

In August, Senator Cramer joined his colleagues in sending a letter to the FWS and the NOAA highlighting their concerns with the Biden administration’s proposals to diminish crucial reforms to the ESA.

In May, Senator Cramer cosponsored and voted for two Congressional Review Act resolutions, which would reverse restrictive ESA rulemakings by the Biden administration.