not been published in the Federal Register, which is the last step in the listing process (Williamson 39). About 500 species are on hold in Category I, which means that they are considered endangered, but the Service has not had time to list them. Another 3,000 species are in Category II, which means the Service believes they should be listed but has not investigated their status. The Interior Department's Office of Inspector General reports that this backlog will disappear in 48 years, given the current rate of progress. It also said that recovery plans for all these species would cost $4.6 billion over 10 years to develop and implement (Williamson 39).
This is quite an increase from the $1.5 million annually that the act was authorized in 1973 to spend. The Service now spends close to $50 million per year under the Endangered Species Act. It listed 37 species in 1989, 49 species in 1990 and 55 species in 1991. It also developed recovery plans for 110 listed species during that three-year period (Williamson, 39).
According to some, there are three mai
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