That manatees still swim along Florida’s coast, grizzly bears still roam the west and bald eagles still fly in North American skies is due, in large part, to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 — once described by the Supreme Court as “the most comprehensive legislation for the preservation of endangered species enacted by any nation.” Now, nearly 50 years after that bill’s landmark passage, Congress is poised to vote on a new piece of conservation legislation that experts say would, if passed, mark the largest dedicated investment in wildlife conservation — ever.
Called the Restoring America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA), the bill aims to bolster state efforts to save endangered wildlife by dedicating $1.4 billion to that effort each year. Illinois Environmental Council outreach director Lindsay Keeney called the the prospective passage of RAWA a “once in a lifetime opportunity,” but noted the expanded scope of efforts may bring with it new challenges.
Read the full article here.