Scheme Nickname: 
Exemptions under section 7(a)(2) of Endangered Species Act

A hearing must be held when the Secretary makes a positive finding for an exemption to the Endangered Species Act. The hearing is conducted by an administrative law judge appointed by the Secretary. The administrative law judge develops the record for a report that is submitted to the Endangered Species Committee, which decides whether to approve the exemption.

Comments/Notes on Adjudication Structure: 
The administrative law judge presides over the evidentiary hearing and then submits a report to the Secretary, who then submits it to the Committee. The Committee is composed of seven members: (1) The Secretary of Agriculture; (2) The Secretary of the Army; (3) The Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors; (4) The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (5) The Secretary of the Interior; (6) The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and (7) a presidentially appointed individual from each affected state for which an application is being considered.
Types of Adjudication: 
Type A
Other Comments: 
The Endangered Species Committee is also known as "the God Squad."
Verified by Agency: 
Not verified
Is this a Major Adjudication: 
Yes