The Endangered Species Act turns 30.

AuthorThompson, Mark R.
PositionSymposium

On October 23rd and 24th of 2003, Lewis & Clark Law School and the Endangered Species Committee of the American Bar Association Section on Environment, Energy, and Resources (ABA SEER) sponsored a national conference commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The event, held in Portland, Oregon, brought together leading experts from academia, government, nonprofit organizations, private practice, and business and industry who presented an intricate look at the ESA.

Those in attendance were guided through the ESA's incredible past, given a taste of its turbulent present, and provided with a uniquely informed forecast of the ESA's future. The conference offered those who encounter the ESA at any level a chance to increase their knowledge and skills, and undoubtedly instilled a new respect for the ESA's power as well as its vulnerabilities. From Professor Zygmunt Plater's (1) personal narrative of the tiny snail darter's plight through the United States Supreme Court and into the spotlight of environmental law, to expressions of celebration, alarm, or even resentment of the Act's unprecedented muscle, the conference presented a well-rounded and thorough examination of the ESA's provisions and mandates. Topics addressed at the conference included the history and trends of ESA practice, listing and delisting of species, consultation requirements, enforcement issues, science and the ESA, the take of endangered species, and the latest developments surrounding the ESA.

This issue of Environmental Law is a product of the insight, generosity, and commitment of those who participated in the conference, and will serve as a remarkably rich source for all that practice or profess the Endangered Species Act. Some of the Articles contained in this issue are the result of dialogues that flowed from the conference, while others were prepared specifically for, and presented at the conference. Each Article offers new interpretations of the Act, calls for reform, or imparts new thoughts about the ESA's significance.

Environmental Law is pleased to present this issue, and extends its gratitude to those who participated in any way in the conference, including the Conference Planning Committee and moderators, comprised of Cherise Gaffney, (2) Lin Harmon-Walker, (3) Madeline Kass, (4) Daniel J. Rohlf, (5) and James Struhltrager, (6) and those who presented at the conference. Program faculty included Gerry Bertrand, (7) Michael C...

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