The ESA is mistakenly considered by many to be the linchpin of preserving endangered species, but in fact its biggest role is to help environmentalists block energy production
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is the subject of ongoing litigation over its dubious constitutionality. The 42-year-old law has failed to achieve its central goal of species recovery and has been the target of several reforms in Congress. The administration’s exploitation of the ESA to obstruct affordable energy production, along with the law’s inability to repopulate listed species, reflects the need to overhaul the federal government’s flawed conservation policies.