Biden Administration Wants to Protect Monarch Butterfly With Endangered Species Act
December 11, 2024
The Biden administration wants to protect the monarch butterfly and has proposed listing it as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, announcing on Tuesday the opening of a public hearing on Dec. 12 for the proposal to last through March 12, 2025.
The monarch has been at the center of numerous lawsuits filed by environmental and conservation groups across the years, focused on protecting species from agriculture chemicals including glyphosate, Enlist Duo and others.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said in a news release the monarch's population numbers are dwindling.
"The iconic monarch butterfly is cherished across North America, captivating children and adults throughout its fascinating lifecycle," USFWS Director Marcha Williams said in a statement.
"Despite its fragility, it is remarkably resilient, like many things in nature when we just give them a chance."
In North America, monarchs are grouped into two long-distance migratory populations including the eastern and western migratory population.
The eastern is the largest and overwinters in the mountains of central Mexico. The western population primarily overwinters in coastal California.
According the USFWS, over 4.5 million western monarchs flocked to overwintering grounds in coastal California in the 1980s. In the mid-1990s, an estimated 380 million eastern monarchs made the long-distance journey to overwintering grounds in Mexico, completing one of the longest insect migrations in the world.
"Today, the eastern migratory population is estimated to have declined by approximately 80%," the USFWS said.
"The western migratory population has declined by more than 95% since the 1980s, putting the western populations at greater than 99% chance of extinction by 2080. During this same period, the probability of extinction for eastern monarchs ranges from 56% to 74%."
USFWS said threats to monarchs include loss and degradation of breeding, migratory and overwintering habitat, exposure to insecticides and the "effects of climate change."
The USFWS is also proposing conserving critical habitat for the species at a portion of its overwintering sites in coastal California.
The agency is proposing 4,395 acres of critical habitat for the western migratory monarch population across Alameda, Marin, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Ventura counties in California.
"A critical habitat designation imposes no requirements on state or private land unless the action involves federal funding, permits or approvals," USFWS said.
The American Soybean Association said on Tuesday that farmers need to continue to their conservation efforts in supporting monarchs and their habitats.
Brandon Wipf, a member of the ASA board, a soybean farmer from South Dakota and the ASA's liaison with "Farmers for Monarchs," said in a statement the agency's proposal is an opportunity for producers.
"Farmers are proud to be part of the solution when it comes to protecting both the environment and species," Wipf said.
"We have long adopted voluntary conservation practices that support wildlife and specifically, monarch butterflies. We welcome this opportunity to share our story and ensure any future listing decision is grounded in sound science and allows farmers the flexibility to continue growing soy productively, sustainably and using practices that help monarch populations thrive."
In 2014, the Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety and others petitioned the USFWS seeking protection for the monarch, after the agency reported the lowest monarch count on record that year.
"Today's monarch listing decision is a landmark victory 10 years in the making," said George Kimbrell, legal director at the Center for Food Safety.
"It is also a damning precedent, exposing the driving role of pesticides and industrial agriculture in the ongoing extinction crisis. But the job isn't done. Monarchs still face an onslaught of pesticides. The service must do what science and the law require and promptly finalize protection for monarchs."
Collin O'Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation said in a statement said the proposal was long needed.
"The monarch butterfly and its remarkable multi-generation migration are marvels of the natural world," he said.
"This science-based decision is a national call to action for all Americans to save this majestic species by joining forces to plant native milkweed and nectar plants all across the nation -- our yards, schools, parks, rights-of-way, businesses, places of worship, working lands and so much more. By working collaboratively, we will recover and safeguard this iconic species for future generations."
Information about how to submit comments can be found on regulations.gov by searching for docket number FWS-R3-ES-2024-0137. The docket also includes information about how to attend two virtual public information meetings, and associated public hearings, about this listing proposal.
Source: DTN
