What are the limitations to the endangered species act?

Endangered Species Act Annual Reports

• Section 18 of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973 requires the Secretary of the Interior (working through the Fish and Wildlife Service) to annually report (by Jaan 15th) certain expenditures for the conservation of threatened and endangered species. Where can I find copies of these reports for the last 3 years (2002-2004)?

• Answer:

  I have located links to the 2001 and 2002 Endangered Species Expenditure Reports, and, in the meantime, also found the FY 2003 reports. I found 2001 via a standard Google search (noted in Search Strategy, below), then manipulated the URLs to discover further data in the T.E.S.S. database. T.E.S.S. - Threatened and Endangered Species System http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/TESSWebpage I haven't located links specifically to this data in the Department's Endangered Species website. I imagine budget constraints are probably responsible. I would speculate that the errors are more likely to be in the online reporting than in compliance with regulations. Fiscal Year 2004 ends in October. The Expenditure Reports will probably be available in early 2005. In the 1998-2000 Reports that you already have, Appendix B contains an explanation of the Reporting procedures and guidelines. "Section 18 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S. 1531 etseq.) reads, in part, as follows "...Fish and Wildlife Service, shall submit to the Congress an annual report covering the preceding fiscal year which shall contain: (1) an accounting on a species-by-species basis of all reasonably identifiable Federal Expenditures made primarily for the conservation of endangered and threatened species pursuant to this Act; and (2) an accounting on a species-by-species basis for all reasonably identifiable expenditures made primarily for the conservation of endangered and threatened species pursuant to this Act by States receiving grants under section 6." The Conference report for the 1988 amendments made some of the following points concerning the new section 18 of the Act: -- [The reporting} provision should not become unduly burdensome or result in diversion of funds from the operation of the program. -- The Secretary of the Interior is to make a good faith effort to develop and obtain data but is not to undertake extensive or extraordinary measures. -- Generalized dollar estimates will suffice..." 2000 Expenditure Report - Appendix B Summary of Legislative Record and Supplemental Guidance of What is a "Reasonably Identifiable Expenditure" for Purposes of this Report http://endangered.fws.gov/expenditures/reports/2000_APPENDIX_B.PDF Endangered Species Expenditures FY2001 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE 1. REPORTED EXPENDITURES FOR FY 2001 FOR ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES, NOT INCLUDING LAND ACQUISTION COSTS http://ecos.fws.gov/expenditures/ExpendituresTotalsReport?table=1&year=2001 TABLE 2. SPECIES RANKED IN DESCENDING ORDER OF TOTAL FY 2001 REPORTED EXPENDITURES, NOT INCLUDING LAND ACQUISTION COSTS http://ecos.fws.gov/expenditures/ExpendituresTotalsReport?table=2&year=2001 TABLE 3. REPORTED LAND ACQUISTION EXPENDITURES FOR FY 2001 FOR ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES http://ecos.fws.gov/expenditures/ExpendituresTotalsReport?table=3&year=2001 Endangered Species Expenditures FY2002 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE 1. REPORTED EXPENDITURES FOR FY 2002 FOR ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES, NOT INCLUDING LAND ACQUISTION COSTS http://ecos.fws.gov/expenditures/ExpendituresTotalsReport?table=1&year=2002 TABLE 2. SPECIES RANKED IN DESCENDING ORDER OF TOTAL FY 2002 REPORTED EXPENDITURES, NOT INCLUDING LAND ACQUISTION COSTS http://ecos.fws.gov/expenditures/ExpendituresTotalsReport?table=2&year=2002 TABLE 3. REPORTED LAND ACQUISTION EXPENDITURES FOR FY 2002 FOR ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES http://ecos.fws.gov/expenditures/ExpendituresTotalsReport?table=3&year=2002 Endangered Species Expenditures FY2003 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE 1. REPORTED EXPENDITURES FOR FY 2003 FOR ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES, NOT INCLUDING LAND ACQUISTION COSTS http://ecos.fws.gov/expenditures/ExpendituresTotalsReport?table=1&year=2003 TABLE 2. SPECIES RANKED IN DESCENDING ORDER OF TOTAL FY 2003 REPORTED EXPENDITURES, NOT INCLUDING LAND ACQUISTION COSTS http://ecos.fws.gov/expenditures/ExpendituresTotalsReport?table=2&year=2003 TABLE 3. REPORTED LAND ACQUISTION EXPENDITURES FOR FY 2003 FOR ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES http://ecos.fws.gov/expenditures/ExpendituresTotalsReport?table=3&year=2003 Search Strategy ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Google Search Terms ://www.google.com/search?q=%22Endangered+and+Threatened+Species+Expenditures%22+fy+2002&filter=0 I hope this fulfills your requirements. Should you have further question about the material or links provided, please, feel free to ask. ---larre