The ESA Amendments Act Includes Important Reforms Aimed at Conserving Species and Protecting Property Rights – CEI Paper

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There are simple, common-sense reforms to help ensure that the Endangered Species Act (ESA), enacted in 1973, does a better job of conserving species according to a new report from the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI). 

In more than 50 years since its passage, only about three percent of species listed under the ESA have been delisted due to recovery. Americans should expect more from this law.   

A new bill, the ESA Amendments Act of 2025, introduced by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), aims to fix these shortcomings and make the ESA work better for species and property owners. The legislation contains provisions targeting long-standing concerns, as CEI policy analyst Jacob Tomasulo explains in the report, Three Important Reforms in the ESA Amendments Act.  

Important reforms in the ESA Amendments Act of 2025 include: 

  • Ending the blanket 4(d) Rule: Section 4(d) of the ESA has been misused by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to impose severe restrictions on private property use by treating threatened species as if they were endangered. The bill would stop the FWS from misapplying the law in this manner and ignoring congressional intent.  
  • Fixing improper Critical Habitat designations: Section 4 of the ESA requires the FWS and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to designate “critical habitat” concurrently with listing decisions. The bill defines “habitat” to help limit frivolous “critical habitat” designations in the future, such as critical habitat designations for areas that can’t even support a species.  
  • Requiring agency analysis of listing decisions: The ESA requires listing decisions be made “solely on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available.” This does not preclude the agencies from conducting and disseminating economic analyses of listing decisions for information and transparency purposes. The bill would require that moving forward the agencies disclose the economic impact of listing decisions.   

“The Endangered Species Act should work better for wildlife and people,” said Tomasulo. “Rep. Westerman is leading the effort to modernize the ESA and enact crucial reforms.” 

Read Three Important Reforms in the ESA Amendments Act on CEI.org.