Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act, a law that’s had far-reaching impact including locally, notably for delaying projects. The act, designed to protect endangered or threatened species from extinction, was signed in 1973 by President Richard Nixon and is enforced through both the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service. An endangered species is defined as being under imminent threat of extinction, while a threatened species is likely to become endangered.