The Fish and Wildlife Service’s announcement of plans to list the monarch butterfly as threatened earned applause Tuesday from environmental and business groups, even as supporters noted there’s still a lot of details to be worked out.
Conservationists who have sought Endangered Species Act protections for the charismatic species voiced relief with a bit of trepidation over how the proposal might proceed. Organizations representing timber, landowner and agricultural interests likewise praised the proposal as a good-faith start while leaving detailed critiques to another day.
“Working together, we can help make this extraordinary species a legacy for our children and generations to come,” Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams said.
The Republican head of the committee that oversees FWS said the decision shows the inherent problems with the Endangered Species Act.
