Proposed Bill Will Protect Imperiled Species as Planet Faces Extinction Crisis

WASHINGTON – Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-Michigan) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-Nebraska) today reintroduced a revised version of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA), as one-third of wildlife species in the U.S face extinction, and up to one million species throughout the planet could disappear forever due to human activity. The bill will allocate financial resources to states and tribes to manage wildlife, protect threatened and endangered species, and prevent species from becoming imperiled. The bill also prioritizes recreation and education projects that serve disadvantaged communities.   

Following is a quote from Dr. Sylvia Fallon, Senior Director of Wildlife at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). 

“We are in the midst of a biodiversity crisis with a million species facing extinction – some within decades. This bill aims to alleviate disaster with an infusion of resources for states and Tribes to protect species before they reach the brink of extinction and recover species already listed under the Endangered Species Act. Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would help avert the worst of the extinction crisis already upon us and help rescue our nation’s treasured wildlife.”  

Background 

State fish and wildlife agencies have identified more than 12,000 species in desperate need of proactive conservation efforts in the United States, including more than 1,600 U.S. species listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA. The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act will provide funding for states, tribes, endangered species, and plants.  
 

Additional Resources 

Reps Reintro Bill to Prevent Species Imperilment
Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA) 
As Scientists Warn of Biodiversity Crisis, Trump Administration Guts Endangered Species Act 
U.N. Biodiversity Report: A Million Reasons to Better Protect Natural Systems 

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NRDC (The Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Chicago; Bozeman, Montana; and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC