A run at "reforming" the Endangered Species Act, which helped the grizzly bear population rebound in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, is being made in the U.S. House of Representatives/NPS file

Some GOP members of the U.S. House Of Representatives are taking a run against the Endangered Species Act, saying its reform is long overdue.

“In the more than 40 years since its introduction and passage, much has changed in our nation and its environment, but the law has not kept up with the evolving realities of the 21st Century," said Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas, who on Thursday introduced a measure that would allow the Interior secretary to put a hold on "frivolous" lawsuits that impede the work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which oversees management of the act.

His measure, the Republican said, would ensure that "more resources are available to protect truly endangered species."

Joining Rep. Westerman in calling for reform of the act was the Congressional Western Caucus, which counts 70 members of the House. The PETITION Act, as Westerman titled his legislation, is one of nine bills introduced by the caucus to reform the Endangered Species Act.

Environmental and conservation groups, however, said the various measures would be the downfall of countless species if enacted.

"The package of bills that House members released today, coupled with the draft legislation introduced by Senator (John) Barrasso (R-WY), are the most drastic of the dozens of anti-ESA bills introduced this Congress," said Bart Melton, Northern Rockies regional director for the National Parks Conservation Association. "These bills would turn the bedrock legislation into the ‘eliminating species act’ and threaten the long-term conservation of American wildlife and wild lands, and the parks that call them home.”

Jordan Giaconia, Sierra Club federal policy associate, took a similar view.

“Anti-public lands and anti-wildlife Republicans in Congress can not stop with their dangerous agenda to get rid of one of the most effective environmental laws in American history, the Endangered Species Act," he said. "But what's concerning now is that the introduction of these bills could be one of the most destructive we’ve ever seen. This ‘extinction package’ would remove science from wildlife management policies, essentially nix citizen input and launch several other attacks that would destroy the ESA’s effectiveness."

According to the Center for Biological Diversity, the measures would turn over recovery efforts to states that often lack the funding or regulatory structure to ensure species’ survival, let alone recovery.

“The problem isn’t a backlog of petitions, it’s a backlog of species that desperately need help and a government that hasn’t moved fast enough to prevent their extinction,” said Noah Greenwald, the center's endangered species director. “If Representative Westerman and his patrons in the oil and gas industry truly wanted to see the backlog addressed and extinction avoided, they would provide the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service more money to help the many species waiting for protection, species like American wolverines and lesser prairie chickens.”

According to the Congressional Western Caucus, the following groups are in support of the package of bills:

American Exploration & Mining Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, American for Limited Government, American Loggers Council, American Petroleum Institute, Free Market America, Independent Petroleum Association of America, National Association of Conservation Districts, National Association of Counties (NACo), National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition (NESARC), National Association of Home Builders, National Mining Association, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Western Energy Alliance, Agribusiness & Water Council of Arizona, Arizona Farm Bureau Federation, Arizona Mining Association, Arizona Pork Producers Council, Arizona Rock Products Association, DC Cattle Co LLC, Pima Natural Resource Conservation District, Yavapai Cattle Growers Association. Arizona Sportsmen’s Groups: Apache County BigGame Forever; Arizona BigGame Forever; Arizona Deer Association; AZ Bass Nation; Bass Federation; BASS Junkyz; Flagstaff BigGAme Forever; Malihini Sports Association; Mesa/Gilbert BigGame Forever; Mognlian Sporting Association; Northern Arizona BigGame Forever; Phoenix BigGame Forever; Southwest Fur Harvesters; Sportsmen’s Business Alliance; SRT Outdoors; Tuscon BigGame Forever; Wild at Heart Adventures. Colorado Sportsmen’s Groups: Boulder BigGame Forever; Centenial BigGame Forever; Colorado BigGame Forever; Colorado Farm Bureau; Colorado Mule Deer Association; Colorado Outfitters Association; Colorado Sportsmen Make America Great; Colorado Springs BigGame Forever; Colorado Wool Growers; Grand Junction BigGame Forever; Pagosa Springs BigGame Forever. Idaho Sportsmen’s Groups: BigGame Forever Idaho; Idaho Falls BigGame Forever; Idaho for Wildlife; Idaho Sportsmen for Wildlife; Northern Idaho BigGame Forever; Pocatello BigGame Forever; Save Western Wildlife; Twin Falls BigGame Forever. Montana Sportsmen’s Groups: BigGame Forever Gallatin City; BigGame Forever Missoula; BigGame Forever Montana; BigGame Forever Park County; BigGame Forever Sweet Grass County; Citizens for Balanced Use; Montana Sportsmen for Wildlife; Montana Trappers Association; Save Western Wildlife; Southwest Montana SCI. Utah Sportsmen’s Groups: Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife; Utah BigGame Forever. Washington State Sportsmen’s Groups: Boeing Employees Everett Gun Club; Borderline Bassin' Contenders; Capitol City Rifle/Pistol; Cascade Mountain Men; Cascade Tree Hound Club; Cedar River Bowmen; Citizens for Responsible Wildlife Management; Double U Hunting Supply; Edison Sportsmen's Club; Inland NW Wildlife Council; Inland NW Wildlife Council; KBH Archers; Kittitas County Field & Stream; National Wild Turkey Federation - South Sound Longbeards; North Flight Waterfowl; Northwest Sportsman's Club; Northwest Sportsman's Club; NW Field Trial & Hound Association; Okanogan Hound Club; Pacific Flyway; Pateros Sportsman's Club; Paul Bunyan Rifle and Sportsmen's Club; Pheasants Forever Chapter #257; Pierce County Sportsmen's Council; Richland Rod & Gun Club; Ruffed Grouse Society – WA; Safari Club International - Central WA; Safari Club International - Columbia Basin; Safari Club International - Inland Empire Chapter; Safari Club International – Northwest; Safari Club International - Seattle Puget Sound; Safari Club International - Southwest Washington; Seattle Sportsmen’s Conservation Foundation; Skagit Sportsman and Training Association; Tacoma Sportsmen's Club; Vashon Sportsmen's Club; Washington Falconer's Association; Washington for Wildlife; Washington Game Fowl Breeders Association; Washington Muzzleloaders Association; Washington State Archery Association; Washington State BigGame Forever; Washington State Hound Council; Washington State Hunter Heritage Council; Washington State Trappers Association; Washington Waterfowl Association; Washingtonians for Wildlife Conservation; Washingtonians for Wildlife Conservation; Wildlife Committee of Washington.