Articles
ICYMI : Capitol Hill event on the constitutional limits of the Endangered Species Act (ESA)
On Tuesday, June 2, 2015, Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) and Competitive Enterprise Institute held a joint event on Capitol Hill to discuss the constitutional limits of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). With U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) providing opening remarks, it was a terrific panel discussion with a standing ...
Articles
There are many ways to protect endangered species
If species aren't protected under the Endangered Species Act's burdensome approach, they'll receive no protection at all. This is an all too common refrain. But it's a false choice. There are many ways to try to conserve and recover species. The ESA's punitive approach is not the only one, nor even the best one. Take the Utah prairie dog. The incr ...
Articles
Is the Constitution a paradox?
In defending the constitutionality of the Utah prairie dog regulation, the government makes a paradoxical claim. Conceding that federal intrusions into areas of traditional state authority are unconstitutional, the government nonetheless argues that the Necessary and Proper Clause allows the federal government to regulate anything for any reason, s ...