The Facts

* Less than 2% of species have been removed from the ESA’s endangered list in 40 years.

* Nearly 100 species in Texas are set for potential listing by 2017. 

* The ESA’s protection of a tiny fish in California called the Delta Smelt in the middle of acute water shortages caused by an historic drought—California was forced to flush three million acre feet of  water  allocated for human use into the ocean.

Recommendations

* Avoid a top-down state-centralized program for Texas response to ESA listings.

* Encourage landowner and local choice on ESA strategies.
 
* Enhance current program to assist local government, land owners and business to challenge listings and minimize adverse impacts from ESA conservation plans.
 
* Resist transforming TPWD into regulatory agency implementing ESA regulation in Texas.
 
* Reform the ESA to prevent abuse of citizens’ lawsuits and curb taxpayer funding of ESA attorneys’ fees.
 
* Support Texas Congressional member’s efforts to reform the ESA.