Endangered Species Act of 1973

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is the primary law in the United States for protecting and conserving imperiled species, designed to prevent extinction as a consequence of economic growth and development untempered by adequate concern and conservation. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it consists of 18 sections and is jointly administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service. Written by a team of lawyers and scientists including Russell E. Train, it passed with little opposition, and the Supreme Court has described it as the most comprehensive legislation for the preservation of endangered species enacted by any nation. The act has been amended four times, in 1978, 1982, 1988 and 2004. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/