H.R. 1419 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to issue, without regard to other provisions of law, a final rule removing the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem population of grizzly bears from the list of threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). H.R. 1419 also would exempt the final rule from judicial review.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is authorized to collect permitting fees for lawful activities that involve protected species, including scientific research, conservation, and unintentional taking of the animals while performing permitted activities. Under H.R. 1419, permits would no longer be required for such activities involving grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem. Permitting fees are recorded in the budget as offsetting receipts (or reductions in direct spending) and are available to be spent without further appropriation. Using information from USFWS, CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1419 would reduce those receipts and the consequent spending by an insignificant amount over the 2024-2033 period so that the net increase in direct spending would be negligible.
Violators of the ESA are subject to civil and criminal penalties, which are recorded as revenues and are available for spending without further appropriation. Using information from USFWS, CBO estimates that any reductions in penalties or associated spending would be insignificant because of the small number of related cases expected to occur over the 2024‑2033 period.
