"The Endangered Species Act Amendments Act of 2025 is a roadmap to destruction for a law that supports America’s most at-risk fish, wildlife, and plant populations, including over 600 species in our national parks" -- NPCA Senior Wildlife Program Director Bart Melton
Today, House members considered two pieces of legislation that would dramatically weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and remove federal protections for gray wolves in 48 states.
The National Parks Conservation Association issued a letter to Hill leadership, strongly opposing the legislation and its severe threats to wildlife and plants.
National polling conducted in 2023 found that more than 4 in 5 Americans (86%) (including 87% of Democrats, and 84% of Republicans) support federal agency efforts to continue recovery of threatened and endangered species.
Statement by NPCA Senior Wildlife Program Director Bart Melton
“Blanket removal of protections for gray wolves is short-sighted and dangerous to America’s conservation legacy. Gray wolves have recently returned to national parks and surrounding ecosystems where they’ve been absent for decades, from Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado to the North Cascades in Washington State and Lassen national forest in California. NPCA opposes this legislation, which could impact the recovery of these iconic park animals in park landscapes.
“The Endangered Species Act Amendments Act of 2025 is a roadmap to destruction for a law that supports America’s most at-risk fish, wildlife, and plant populations, including over 600 species in our national parks. The bill eliminates safeguards that could lead to increased species death, politicizes the selection process for species recovery, severely limits the right for citizens to challenge federal ESA decisions in court, and undercuts science in decision making.
"The dedicated professionals at the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and other agencies are currently under attack from unprecedented staff and funding cuts and uncertainty. These administrative directives have hindered agency wildlife recovery work with states, Tribes, and communities. As written, this bill would further these impacts and threaten the future of conservation and recovery of America’s wildlife.”
