Trump administration proposes changes to Endangered Species Act
President Donald Trump’s administration has proposed major changes to the Endangered Species Act by redefining the word “harm” in the law.
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- The Trump administration is proposing changes to the Endangered Species Act to ease federal regulations.
- One proposal would eliminate automatic protections for endangered species, known as the “blanket rule.”
- Another change would allow economic factors to be considered when designating critical habitat for species.
The Trump administration has proposed rolling back regulations that strengthen protections for endangered species.
The Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced four proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act on November 19, as President Donald Trump seeks to reduce what he calls burdensome federal regulations for businesses. One of the proposed rules would eliminate the “blanket rule” that automatically applies endangered species protections to endangered species. Another would change considerations in designating habitat important to species survival.
“These changes end years of legislative confusion and regulatory overreach, providing certainty for states, tribes, landowners and businesses, and ensuring conservation efforts remain based on sound science and common sense,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement.
The proposed rule is open for public comment until Dec. 22.
What species would be most likely to be affected by the proposed rule?
If passed, the rule could put hundreds of vulnerable plants and wildlife at risk of extinction, according to the Endangered Species Coalition, which opposes the proposed rule. Wildlife advocates also argued that another proposed rule on interagency cooperation could harm certain species. The coalition, its partners and advocates said these species are more at risk.
- monarch butterfly
- sea turtle
- manatee
- wolverines
- northern spotted owl
- Cook Inlet beluga whale
“America’s endangered wildlife remains at an uncertain crossroads, with one path leading toward extinction and the other toward recovery,” Andrew Bowman, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, said in a statement. “The Trump administration’s proposals announced today aim to undermine key parts of the Endangered Species Act and will make recovery for many species even more difficult.”
Allowing economic and national security to become critical habitat elements
According to Reuters, the ESA sets regulations for permitting oil, gas, mining, power transmission and other operations on federal lands. Two of the proposed rules specifically mention allowing economic factors to be part of critical habitat considerations.
The rule reinstates regulations from 2019 and 2020 that were later replaced with stronger protections under the Biden administration.
“Trump’s attack on the Endangered Species Act was a serious misreading of the situation,” Earthjustice attorney Kristen Boyles said in a statement. “Many people are not going to allow our natural world to be sacrificed to the benefit of a bunch of billionaires and corporate interests.”
“Comprehensive rules” and the difference between endangered species and endangered species
Another proposed rule would eliminate automatic protections for endangered species, known as the “blanket rule.” Endangered species are on the verge of extinction, and endangered species are likely to become endangered in the near future.
The omnibus rule provides protection to endangered species unless a species-specific exception is determined by a federal agency. The proposed rule would reverse that and require protection for each endangered species.
According to the Department of the Interior, the proposed rule “will ensure that protections are necessary and prudent to conserve each species without imposing unnecessary restrictions on other species.”
Contributed by: Reuters
Kinsey Crowley is a Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Please contact KCrowley@usatodayco.com. follow her X (Twitter), blue sky and TikTok.
