May 1, 2003

The Endangered Species Act Deskbook

Environmental Law Institute
Rafe Petersen

This book by Larry Liebesman and Rafe Petersen, with contributing authors from the firm of Holland & Knight LLP, has been published by the Environmental Law Institute.

The Environmental Species Act of 1973 has resulted in the listing of over 1,200 species as "threatened or endangered" with roughly half of those species having at least 80% of their habitat on private lands. California and Florida lead the pack with the most listed species ranging from the tiny fairy shrimp to the large Florida Panther and including other species such as the piping plover, the loggerhead turtle and the pygmy owl. Needless to say, the ESA significantly impacts many land use decisions. The ESA Deskbook addresses such issues as how species are listed, the designation of critical habitat of endangered species, consultation between federal agencies and the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, what constitutes a "take" of a species, Habitat Conservation plans, enforcement, federal and state interface on endangered species, Indian lands and the ESA, and the international application of the ESA. It also includes the relevant laws, regulations, polices and contact information for users.

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