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In 1973, Congress passed
the Endangered Species Act, recognizing 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, and (3) these species of fish,
wildlife, and plants are of esthetic, ecological, educational, historical,
recreational, and scientific value to the United States and its people.
The intended purpose of the Act is to provide a means by which the ecosystems
upon which endangered and threatened species depend may be conserved and
to provide a program for the conservation of those species.
Important components of the
Endangered Species Act include:
(1) listing/recovery [Section
4], (2) cooperation with states [Section 6], (3) consultation [Section
7], (4) enforcement [Section 9], and (5) incidental take permits [Section
10].
Section 4 provides the process by which species are added to or removed from the
official list of endangered or threatened species, and by which recovery plans
are developed; Section 6 allows the Service to enter into cooperative agreements
with states to implement recovery activities.
Section 7 requires
all Federal agencies to consult with the Service for all actions they authorize,
fund, or carry out; Section 9 prohibits take of listed species and provides
penalties for violations; and Section 10 allows the Service to issue permits
for incidental take of listed species for scientific purposes, or through
the development of habitat conservation plans (HCP's) by non-Federal entities.
The Charleston Field
Office is actively involved in Section 7 consultations
and Section 4 listing and recovery activities. South Carolina
currently or historically has provided habitat for over 42
species of threatened or endangered plants or animals.
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