Overhaul of Endangered Species Act could reduce tribal consultation

A newly proposed bill in the U.S. House of Representatives would lessen tribal consultation requirements under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, according to reporting by ICT. The Endangered Species Amendment Act of 2025 would overhaul the current ESA, removing consultation requirements with federal agencies, a process through which tribal nations have exercised their voice regarding proposed activities’ impact on endangered species.

U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell criticized the bill, stating it "would strip ESA protections, making it harder to protect wildlife." While the original ESA did not explicitly include tribal consultation, Monte Mills, director of the Native American Law Center at the University of Washington, noted that various policies, including one dating back to the 1990s, incorporated it into the endangered species process.