A species can get listed anytime an enviro wants, but it can never leave.
William Perry Pendley writes in the Washington Times:
The Eagles’ memorable hit “Hotel California” ends hauntingly: “You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.” Don Henley, who with Don Felder and Glenn Frey, share the writing credits, says “it’s basically a song about the dark underbelly of the American dream and about excess in America.” But, given a new draft Obama administration regulation, it could be about plants and animals listed pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Once they’re included, they never leave.
The 1973 ESA defines “species” as “any subspecies of fish or wildlife or plants, and any distinct population segment of any species of vertebrate fish or wildlife which interbreeds when mature.” Under the act, an “endangered species” is one “in danger of extinction throughout all ora significant portion of its range,” and a “threatened species” is one “likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all ora significant portion of its range.” Amazingly, “a significant portion of its range” remained undefined for almost 35 years…