Four bills on species, land and DC

ESA Amendments Act of 2025

• Reorders species listing decisions: The Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service would submit and update a five-year work plan for listing decisions, with priorities assigned to species. The bill replaces the requirement to act on listing petitions within 12 months with deadlines set by the work plan
• Creates private-land conservation agreements: Private property owners, states, counties, Tribal governments and certain permit holders could enter agreements to conserve species at risk of being listed. If a covered species is later listed, the agreement would provide assurances against additional conservation requirements or land-use restrictions, and the bill directs the Secretary to consider the agreement’s conservation benefit in listing decisions
• Changes threatened-species and habitat rules: The bill would require recovery goals for threatened species when protections prohibit certain activities, with protections easing as goals are met and state management possible if a state agrees. It would also narrow what qualifies as critical habitat and restrict designations on some privately managed lands

1. Introduced
2. In committee
3. Reported▲ THIS MARKUP
4. Passed House
5. Passed Senate
6. Law

What’s next: a floor vote. None is scheduled.