
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 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.
