Endangered Species Recovery Act of 1997

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Endangered Species Recovery Act of 1997 - Amends the Endangered Species Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior or Commerce, as appropriate, where required to use the best scientific and commercial data available, to give greater weight to data that is empirical, field-tested, or peer-reviewed when evaluating comparable data. Adds the introduction of species and competition to the list of factors to be considered in making determinations of whether a species is endangered or threatened. Repeals a requirement that a designation of critical habitat be made concurrently with any such determination. Requires the Secretary, upon a determination that the goals of the recovery plan for a species have been met, to initiate procedures for determining whether to remove a species from the endangered or threatened list. Expands provisions which allow petitions for proposed additions to, or removals from, endangered or threatened lists to authorize petitions for changing a species status from a previous determination with respect to such lists. Sets forth minimum requirements for information to be provided by petitions, including: (1) descriptions of available data on historical and current…