On Monday, the US Fish and Wildlife Service changed the process for listing endangered species.

 

Starting next month, conservationists will only be able to petition for one species at a time when seeking federal protections under the US Endangered Species Act. Previously, it was possible to file a single petition on behalf of several species.

 

Despite some push back from environmental groups, FWS officials say the rule could streamline the listing process in a way that benefits threatened species. Environmentalists say it may do the opposite. But Western ranchers see it as a step in the right direction. Is this a credible path to progress between businesses using public land and conservationists?

 

Under the new changes, petitioners will also be required to communicate with state agencies before submitting a request to FWS. At least 30 days before filing, applicants must notify every wildlife agency where petitioned species occur naturally.

 

According to federal officials, that delay will give states time to provide relevant information on local species. But some environmental groups say the process is already prohibitive to citizen conservationists, whereas FWS officials say the new rules are meant to simplify the listing process, rather than complicate it. By requiring more information at the early stages of petitioning, the agency says it can make more informed listing decisions.

 

Some say the rules could even expedite the process for listing species under the Endangered Species Act. In many cases, petitions include several species under varying degrees of threat. So rather than negotiate around those key differences, officials say it’s better to separate them into individual cases.

 

While response has been lukewarm at best in conservation circles, industry groups have praised the change. Businesses that rely on public land often find that sweeping federal sanctions can interrupt operations at a financial expense. By taking new entries on a case-by-case basis, the FWS could theoretically lessen that impact.

 

Public Lands Council, an organization that advocates for ranchers’ interests, called the changes “a step in the right direction.”

 

Local input, some say, is necessary to practical conservation. In 2015, the Obama administration chose not to grant federal protections to the greater sage grouse. Instead, conservation efforts were undertaken on the state level, both by public and private entities. The approach was widely celebrated by both environmentalists and industry groups.

 

And it’s that same nuance, officials suggest, which could make the listing process work for industry and threatened species alike. (The Christian Science Monitor)

 

 

PHOTO: An endangered gray wolf is pictured in this undated handout photo.

CREDIT: The US Fish and Wildlife Service.