Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act of 2025
Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act of 2025 - Summary **What the Bill Would Do:** This bill would change how the federal government makes decisions about protecting endangered and threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. It requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to publish online the scientific data they use to decide whether a species needs protection. The bill also requires these agencies to share all their data with affected states before making a final decision.
Additionally, it would limit how much money environmental groups can recover in attorney's fees if they win lawsuits related to endangered species protections. **Who It Affects:** This bill impacts state and local governments, environmental organizations, businesses in industries like energy and agriculture (which may be affected by species protections), and ultimately wildlife and conservation efforts. States would gain more input into endangered species decisions, while environmental groups' ability to fund legal challenges through lawsuit settlements would be reduced. **Current Status:** The bill was introduced by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) and is currently in committee, meaning it hasn't yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives. No action has been taken to advance it further at this time.
CRS Official Summary
Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act of 2025This bill modifies requirements concerning determinations on whether a species is a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), caps attorney's fees to prevailing parties in ESA citizen suits, and makes related requirements.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) must publish online, subject to privacy or administrative limitations, the best scientific and commercial data available that are the basis for each determination. The bill states that the term best scientific and commercial data available includes all data submitted by a state, tribal, or county government. Thus, such data is automatically deemed to be the best scientific and commercial data available. Before making a determination on whether a species is an endangered or threatened species, the FWS and NMFS must provide affected states with all of the data that is the basis of the determination.The Department of the Interior must also publish and maintain an online searchable database that discloses federal expenditures related to litigation under the ESA.
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