§ 1531. — Congressional findings and declaration of purposes and policy.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 16USC1531]
TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
CHAPTER 35--ENDANGERED SPECIES
Sec. 1531. Congressional findings and declaration of purposes
and policy
(a) Findings
The Congress finds and declares that--
(1) various species of fish, wildlife, and plants in the United
States have been rendered extinct as a consequence of economic
growth and development untempered by adequate concern and
conservation;
(2) other species of fish, wildlife, and plants have been so
depleted in numbers that they are in danger of or threatened with
extinction;
(3) these species of fish, wildlife, and plants are of esthetic,
ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and scientific
value to the Nation and its people;
(4) the United States has pledged itself as a sovereign state in
the international community to conserve to the extent practicable
the various species of fish or wildlife and plants facing
extinction, pursuant to--
(A) migratory bird treaties with Canada and Mexico;
(B) the Migratory and Endangered Bird Treaty with Japan;
(C) the Convention on Nature Protection and Wildlife
Preservation in the Western Hemisphere;
(D) the International Convention for the Northwest Atlantic
Fisheries;
(E) the International Convention for the High Seas Fisheries
of the North Pacific Ocean;
(F) the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora; and
(G) other international agreements; and
(5) encouraging the States and other interested parties, through
Federal financial assistance and a system of incentives, to develop
and maintain conservation programs which meet national and
international standards is a key to meeting the Nation's
international commitments and to better safeguarding, for the
benefit of all citizens, the Nation's heritage in fish, wildlife,
and plants.
(b) Purposes
The purposes of this chapter are to provide a means whereby the
ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species depend
may be conserved, to provide a program for the conservation of such
endangered species and threatened species, and to take such steps as may
be appropriate to achieve the purposes of the treaties and conventions
set forth in subsection (a) of this section.
(c) Policy
(1) It is further declared to be the policy of Congress that all
Federal departments and agencies shall seek to conserve endangered
species and threatened species and shall utilize their authorities in
furtherance of the purposes of this chapter.
(2) It is further declared to be the policy of Congress that Federal
agencies shall cooperate with State and local agencies to resolve water
resource issues in concert with conservation of endangered species.
(Pub. L. 93-205, Sec. 2, Dec. 28, 1973, 87 Stat. 884; Pub. L. 96-159,
Sec. 1, Dec. 28, 1979, 93 Stat. 1225; Pub. L. 97-304, Sec. 9(a), Oct.
13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1426; Pub. L. 100-478, title I, Sec. 1013(a), Oct. 7,
1988, 102 Stat. 2315.)
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b) and (c)(1), was in the
original ``this Act'', meaning Pub. L. 93-205, Dec. 28, 1973, 81 Stat.
884, as amended, known as the ``Endangered Species Act of 1973'', which
is classified generally to this chapter. For complete classification of
this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out below and Tables.
Amendments
1988--Subsec. (a)(4)(G). Pub. L. 100-478 substituted ``; and'' for
period at end.
1982--Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 97-304 designated existing provisions as
par. (1) and added par. (2).
1979--Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 96-159 substituted ``wildlife, and
plants'' for ``wildlife''.
Effective Date
Section 16 of Pub. L. 93-205 provided that: ``This Act [enacting
this chapter, amending sections 460k-1, 460l-9, 668dd, 715i, 715s, 1362,
1371, 1372, and 1402 of this title and section 136 of Title 7,
Agriculture, repealing sections 668aa to 668cc-6 of this title, and
enacting provisions set out as notes under this section] shall take
effect on the date of its enactment [Dec. 28, 1973].''
Short Title of 1982 Amendment
Section 1 of Pub. L. 97-304 provided: ``That this Act [amending this
section and sections 1532, 1533, 1535, 1536, 1537a, 1538, 1539, 1540,
and 1542 of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under
sections 1533, 1537a, and 1539 of this title] may be cited as the
`Endangered Species Act Amendments of 1982'.''
Short Title of 1978 Amendment
Pub. L. 95-632, Sec. 1, Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3751, provided:
``That this Act [amending sections 1532 to 1536, 1538 to 1540, and 1542
of this title] may be cited as the `Endangered Species Act Amendments of
1978'.''
Short Title
Section 1 of Pub. L. 93-205 provided: ``That this Act [enacting this
chapter, amending sections 460k-1, 460l-9, 668dd, 715i, 715s, 1362,
1371, 1372, and 1402 of this title and section 136 of Title 7,
Agriculture, repealing sections 668aa to 668cc-6 of this title, and
enacting provisions set out as notes under this section] may be cited as
the `Endangered Species Act of 1973'.''
Relationship to Endangered Species Act of 1973
Pub. L. 102-251, title III, Sec. 305, Mar. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 66, as
amended by Pub. L. 104-208, div. A, title I, Sec. 101(a) [title II,
Sec. 211(b)], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009, 3009-41, provided that:
``The special areas defined in section 3(24) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802(24)) shall be
considered places that are subject to the jurisdiction of the United
States for the purposes of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.).''
Minimization of Conflicts With Recreational Fisheries
For provision that all Federal agencies minimize conflicts between
recreational fisheries and administration of this chapter, see Ex. Ord.
No. 12962, Sec. 4, June 7, 1995, 60 F.R. 30770, set out as a note under
section 1801 of this title.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 1539 of this title.
