“It’s a complete rewrite of the Endangered Species Act, and there’s not one provision in the bill that would make it more likely that species would recover. In fact, it would most likely make it more likely that species would continue to decline,” she said. “This bill should just die of its own weight.” Patrick Parenteau, an emeritus law professor at the Vermont Law and Graduate School, said the Republican representatives may have jumped ship for one specific reason. “I can’t tell how much of the opposition is about defending the Endangered Species Act, as opposed to preventing oil and gas drilling off the coast of Florida,” Parenteau said. The Florida Everglades ecosystem alone hosts dozens of endangered and threatened species, including manatees, Florida panthers and many birds. It also contributes more than $30 billion annually to real estate, tourism and other parts of the local economy, a recent report estimated.…