Earlier this year, we blogged about the need to modernize the Endangered Species Act (ESA) following the introduction of legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Paul Gosar (R-AZ). One of our reasons for supporting that particular bill was because it incentivizes landowners to help protect species from being put on the ESA list by codifying specific rules and regulations to respect private property rights.

Last month, similar legislation was reintroduced in the U.S. Senate. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), held a hearing on the subject and the merits of S. 4589, Endangered Species Act Amendments Act of 2020.