Honoring Pete McCloskey — Endangered Species Champion

By Susan Holmes, Executive Director

Pete McCloskey, a Republican member of Congress, co-author of the Endangered Species Act, longtime Endangered Species Coalition supporter, and member of our Advisory Board, passed away on May 8th at the age of 94.

A liberal Republican who represented an area south of San Francisco for fifteen years, Pete rose to national prominence in 1969 as an opponent of the Vietnam War. Bold and visionary, the following year, he co-authored the Endangered Species Act (Rep. Dingell was lead and Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Fish and Wildlife; Pete was the Ranking member) and co-founded Earth Day. During his time in Congress he was a champion for many strong environmental laws, including the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.  

But what I love most about Pete is that he made protecting the environment and endangered species a winning political issue. In his first race – a special primary against the childhood actor Shirley Temple Black – Pete won by mobilizing young voters in support of open space protection and the environment.

I first met Pete when he came out of retirement in 2006 to run a campaign to unseat Representative Richard Pombo, Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee. Pombo had pledged to weaken the ESA and we knew that if he returned to Congress wildlife protections were on the chopping block. Although Pete lost the primary challenge to Pombo, he succeeded in winning 32% of the vote on a conservation platform. He went on to endorse Representative Jerry McNerney, a Democrat, who then defeated Pombo. The Sierra Club recognized Pete in 2006 for his work to unseat Pombo with their highest honor for public officials, the Edgar Wayburn Award.

Pete McCloskey wrote for the 40th Anniversary of the ESA, “…I consider co-authorship of the Endangered Species Act as the greatest contribution I have made in my lifetime to the welfare of this nation.” Thank you Pete! Endangered species, from alligators to whooping cranes, and all of us are so grateful for your life and legacy!