The Endangered Law to Save Species

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The heart of the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 is the provision requiring protection of habitat for animals and plants in danger of becoming extinct. Fortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court held, 6-3, that such protection is reasonable, given the intent of Congress to protect endangered species and help in their recovery.

The court ruled that the law's prohibition against harming endangered species permitted the government to prevent private land owners from destroying or seriously degrading a species' habitat. Thus, the court held, the government has the right to stop logging companies from cutting timber in forests that provide habitat for the spotted …