16 U.S.C. § 1531 : US Code - Section 1531: Congressional findings and declaration of purposes and policy

Search 16 U.S.C. § 1531 : US Code - Section 1531: Congressional findings and declaration of purposes and policy

(a) Findings
The Congress finds and declares 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;
(3) these species of fish, wildlife, and plants are of
esthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and
scientific value to the Nation and its people;
(4) the United States has pledged itself as a sovereign state
in the international community to conserve to the extent
practicable the various species of fish or wildlife and plants
facing extinction, pursuant to -
(A) migratory bird treaties with Canada and Mexico;
(B) the Migratory and Endangered Bird Treaty with Japan;
(C) the Convention on Nature Protection and Wildlife
Preservation in the Western Hemisphere;
(D) the International Convention for the Northwest Atlantic
Fisheries;
(E) the International Convention for the High Seas Fisheries
of the North Pacific Ocean;
(F) the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora; and
(G) other international agreements; and
(5) encouraging the States and other interested parties,
through Federal financial assistance and a system of incentives,
to develop and maintain conservation programs which meet national
and international standards is a key to meeting the Nation's
international commitments and to better safeguarding, for the
benefit of all citizens, the Nation's heritage in fish, wildlife,
and plants.
(b) Purposes
The purposes of this chapter are to provide a means whereby the
ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species
depend may be conserved, to provide a program for the conservation
of such endangered species and threatened species, and to take such
steps as may be appropriate to achieve the purposes of the treaties
and conventions set forth in subsection (a) of this section.
(c) Policy
(1) It is further declared to be the policy of Congress that all
Federal departments and agencies shall seek to conserve endangered
species and threatened species and shall utilize their authorities
in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter.
(2) It is further declared to be the policy of Congress that
Federal agencies shall cooperate with State and local agencies to
resolve water resource issues in concert with conservation of
endangered species.