Story highlights GOP lawmakers complain the act has had a negative impact on drilling, logging and mining

Environmentalists who support the law say the Endangered Species Act is not broken

(CNN) The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing Wednesday with Republicans focused on curbing the Endangered Species Act, the latest front in the conservative push to rein in regulations they see as harmful to business.

The law is a flashpoint: The agriculture industry says it imposes far-reaching regulatory burdens . James Holte of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation told the committee, "farmers and ranchers consider it their personal responsibility to be stewards of the land. However, the ESA creates many challenges for them to balance agriculture production with wildlife habitat."

Republican lawmakers have also complained the Endangered Species Act has had a negative impact on drilling, logging and mining. They've argued it has hampered economic growth in these industries and expressed frustration that animals that reach recovery status are not de-listed.

And many who want to see the law relaxed believe it tramples on their property rights by imposing restrictions on how they can use their land. They're calling for a higher threshold for supporting data and research that justifies putting an animal on the endangered species list before invoking federal power over an individuals' land.

Environmentalists who support the law say the Endangered Species Act is not broken nor is it in need of "modernization."

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