Executive Order 11911—Preservation of Endangered Species

By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, signed at Washington, D.C., on March 3, 1973 (Ex. Doc. H (93d Cong., 1st Sess.)), hereinafter referred to as the Convention, Section 8(e) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (87 Stat. 893; 16 U.S.C. 1537(e)), and the Convention on Nature Protection and Wildlife Preservation in the Western Hemisphere (56 Stat. 1354, T.S. 981, effective April 30, 1942), and as President of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

SECTION 1. The Secretary of the Interior, in accord with Article IX of the Convention and Section 8(e) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, is hereby designated the Management Authority for purposes of the Convention, and is authorized to communicate with other Parties to the Convention and with the Secretariat established by the Convention.

SEC. 2. The Management Authority shall consult with appropriate agencies and shall ensure that the performance of its responsibilities, under the Convention and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, is in accord with the performance by other agencies of those functions vested by law in such agencies.

SEC. 3. (a) There is hereby established the Endangered Species Scientific Authority which, in accord with Article IX of the Convention and Section 8(e) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, is designated the Scientific Authority for purposes of the Convention.

(b) The Endangered Species Scientific Authority shall be composed of scientifically qualified agency representatives. Each of the following shall designate one such representative from his agency:

(1) The Secretary of the Interior, whose representative shall be the Chairman.

(2) The Secretary of Agriculture.

(3) The Secretary of Commerce.

(4) The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.

(5) The Director of the National Science Foundation.

(6) The Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality.

(c) The Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution is invited to designate a representative.

(d) The Secretary of the Interior shall designate an Executive Secretary, and shall provide the necessary staff and administrative support for the Endangered Species Scientific Authority.

(e) In the discharge of its responsibilities the Endangered Species Scientific Authority shall, to the extent practicable, ascertain the views of, and utilize the expertise of, the governmental and non-governmental scientific communities, State agencies responsible for the conservation of wild fauna or flora, humane groups, zoological and botanical institutions, recreational and commercial interests, the conservation community and others as appropriate.

SEC. 4. The Secretary of the Interior shall develop and implement, in coordination with the Endangered Species Scientific Authority, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the heads of other interested agencies, a system to standardize and simplify the requirements, procedures and other activities related to the issuance of permits for the international and interstate shipment of fauna and flora, including, as appropriate, the parts or products of such fauna and flora.

SEC. 5. The Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby designated, in accord with Section 8(e) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, to act on behalf of and to represent the United States of America in all regards as required by the Convention on Nature Protection and Wildlife Preservation in the Western Hemisphere (56 Stat. 1354, T.S. 981). In the discharge of these responsibilities, the Secretary of the Interior shall also consult with the Secretaries of Agriculture and Commerce and the heads of other agencies with respect to matters relating to or affecting their areas of responsibility.

GERALD R. FORD

THE WHITE HOUSE,

April 13, 1976.