Endangered Species Law & Policy

On August 1, 2025, the Senate approved Brian Nesvik, President Trump’s nominee for Director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service). The Service shares responsibility for administering the Endangered Species Act of 1973 with the National Marine Fisheries Service within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Mr. Nesvik has decades of experience working for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and rose to the position of Director of the Department in 2019. He served in that position until 2024. Mr. Nesvik also served in the Wyoming Army National Guard for 35 years before retiring in 2021. In his statement before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Mr. Nesvik identified the following priorities for his tenure: “improving the Service’s interactions with the public, simplifying regulations, accelerating permitting with technology, and relying more on education, voluntary compliance, and verification.”

On July 30, 2025, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved Dr. Neil Jacobs, President Trump’s nominee for NOAA Administrator. The National Marine Fisheries Service (also referred to as NOAA Fisheries) is one of a number of line offices within NOAA.

Dr. Jacobs has a PhD. from North Carolina State University and worked in the private sector prior to being nominated by President Trump to serve as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction within NOAA. He was confirmed on February 15, 2018, and went on to service in multiple roles within NOAA during President Trump’s first term.

In February 2025, President Donald Trump nominated Dr. Jacobs for the position of NOAA Administrator. In his statement before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Dr. Jacobs indicated his top priorities will be returning the United States to the world's leader in global weather forecast modeling capability and reducing the seafood trade deficit.