[20030716]RS21500_《濒危物种法案》（ESA）、“健全科学”和法院.pdf

1P.L. 93-205, 87 Stat. 884, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.2Section 3(3), 16 U.S.C. 1532.3Section 2(b), 16 U.S.C. 1531(b).4See, e.g., CRS Report RL31098, Klamath River Basin Issues: An Overview of Water UseConflicts, which discusses the conflicts over water use in that area.5See Tennessee Valley Authority v. Hill, 437 U.S. 153 (1978).6For a complete discussion of the use of science in general and agency scientific standards inparticular, see CRS Report RL31546: The Endangered Species Act and Science: the Case ofPacific Salmon.Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS21500Updated July 16, 2003The Endangered Species Act (ESA),“Sound Science,” and the Courtsname redactedLegislative AttorneyAmerican Law DivisionSummaryDecisions to list species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) must rest onlyon the best available scientific data, and science plays a part in other important aspectsoftheAct. Yetmanytimestherelevantsciencemaybecomplexorincomplete. Recentsituations involving economic and social conflicts over resources have resulted in arenewed focus on and criticism of how science is used under the ESA. This reportrev