About NESARC

Background

The National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition (NESARC) is the country’s oldest broad-based, national coalition dedicated solely to achieving improvements to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Coalition includes farmers, cities and counties, rural irrigators, electric utilities, forest product companies, homebuilders, agricultural interests, mining companies, and other businesses and individuals throughout the United States. Since its inception in 1991, NESARC consistently has proven that it is possible to carve out a balanced middle-ground approach to the sometimes contentious debate surrounding improvements to the ESA. The diverse membership of the Coalition and single issue focus have attracted a growing number of associations, organizations, governmental entities, and other groups that support NESARC’s efforts.

NESARC’s Focus

NESARC has been instrumental in shaping both comprehensive and targeted ESA proposals considered by Congress and federal agencies. The Coalition has supported and worked with Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle as they have developed legislation and built support for legislative improvements to the Act. In the regulatory arena, NESARC has provided its members with detailed analyses of Administration proposals on a broad range of issues related to ESA implementation, and has submitted comments on many of these proposals. In both Congress and the Administration, NESARC provides its members and like-minded stakeholders a voice for meaningful input and participation in finding effective and balanced legislative and regulatory improvements to the ESA that support the protection of fish, wildlife and plant populations as well as responsible land, water and resource management.

Coalition Governance

NESARC is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of representatives of a cross-section of the Coalition’s membership and the country as a whole. The Board sets the policy direction for NESARC and oversees the financial operations of the Coalition, including membership development.