Overview

• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service have proposed redefining 'harm' under the Endangered Species Act to exclude habitat destruction.
• Senators Adam Schiff, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Cory Booker sent a letter to the Departments of Interior and Commerce requesting details on the rule's drafting and its potential impact on species protections.
• Environmentalists and scientists warn that removing habitat protections could lead to the extinction of species such as the Florida panther and spotted owl, undermining decades of conservation efforts.
• The proposed rule is currently in a 30-day public comment period, with environmental groups pledging to challenge the change in court if implemented.
• The U.S. Supreme Court has previously upheld that the Endangered Species Act's definition of 'harm' includes habitat destruction, highlighting the legal and ecological stakes of the proposed shift.