Don Bacon: “The Fish and Wildlife Service has a backlog of 49 species waiting to be down-listed or delisted. This issue is further…”

“The Fish and Wildlife Service has a backlog of 49 species waiting to be down-listed or delisted. This issue is further compounded by the fact that an additional 839 species are overdue for their mandatory 5-year status review to determine if ESA protections need to continue. It is no wonder why States are frustrated that species are put on the list and rarely removed. To be more effective in species conservation, the Fish and Wildlife Service must address this backlog so States can better focus their recovery efforts. I respect the committee's progress made on this front, but I hope we can make further efforts to ensure the Fish and Wildlife Service is an effective ally in species conservation under EPA. Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentleman.”