Unfortunately, after the Democrats gained control of the Senate last year, hope of comprehensive reform of this terribly flawed law was diminished. That is why I introduced S. 347, the "Endangered Species Listing and Delisting Process Reform Act of 2001." Given the political realities, I introduced incremental reform that will have a significant impact on the quality of science, public participation, state involvement, speed in recovery and finally the delisting of a species.

In Wyoming, we have seen first hand the need to revise the listing and delisting process of the Endangered Species Act. Listing should be a purely scientific decision, based on credible data that has been peer-reviewed. Several years ago, the Prebles Meadow Jumping Mouse was listed in the State of Wyoming. The listing process for this mouse demonstrates how the system has gone haywire devoid of good science. At the time of the listing, the Clinton U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service even admitted to uncertainties regarding taxonomic distinctions and ranges. Further, the state was not properly notified causing counties, commissioners, and landowners all to be caught off guard. Such poor practices do not foster the types of partnerships that are required if meaningful species conservation is to occur.

Wyoming's experience with the grizzly bear pinpoints some of the problems with the current de-listing process. The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee set criteria for recovery and in the Yellowstone ecosystem, those targets have been met, but the bear has still not been removed from the list. Clearly, changes are desperately needed to the Endangered Species Act. These are relatively minor changes, but will result in tremendous impacts. Species that truly need protection will be protected, but let's not lose sight of the real goal–recovery and delisting.