About TESRA

What H.R. 3824 does

The Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005 (H.R. 3824) represents a sensible and bipartisan approach to improve and update 32-year-old Endangered Species Act.  The changes make it possible to use the Endangered Species Act as it was intended, without catastrophic disruption to the economy. 

H.R. 3824 promotes cooperative conservation, benefiting threatened and endangered species, landowners, and the federal agencies responsible for administering and enforcing the Act.  The legislation takes several steps to ensure that all parties work in tandem to preserve wildlife.  For example:

• H.R. 3824 replaces the use of critical habitat with an integrated recovery planning process that focuses the law on recovery and minimizes the conflicts that often lead to litigation.
• H.R. 3824 requires that the best available science should be made available to the Secretary of the Interior at the time of the listing decision or required action.
• H.R. 3824 ensures that all stakeholders, including local and regional land use agencies, are consulted when the federal government develops recovery plans.
• H.R. 3824 establishes a grant program for private property owners who voluntarily participate in species conservation and protection.
• H.R. 3824 codifies the "no surprises" policy to give property owners, state and local governments, and other parties the necessary regulatory certainty to continue with species and conservation efforts.