Analysis of data on endangered species consultations reveals nothing regarding their economic impacts

The interagency consultation provisions of the Endangered Species Act are critical to its implementation and have been at the center of the most high-profile controversies triggered by its implementation, including the battles over the Tellico Dam, the Northwest forests, the Klamath River, and, more recently, management of the San Francisco Bay-Delta. Although the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has engaged in consultation with other federal agencies tens of thousands of times (1), researchers have conducted little empirical research regarding their costs and benefits. We applaud Malcom and Li (1) for endeavoring to fill the void by analyzing data on all Service consultations from January 2008 to April 2015. We have no reason to doubt their principal empirical findings.