Endangered Species Act: “perhaps the least flexible law Congress has ever enacted”

The decision to list the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is announced by Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne. He says the ESA is “perhaps the least flexible law Congress has ever enacted.” Kempthorne also announces that “this listing decision will be accompanied by administrative guidance and a rule that defines the scope of impact of my decision in order to protect the polar bear while preventing unintended harm to the society and the economy of the United States.” (0:31)

Listen