Overview

• The Trump administration has proposed narrowing the Endangered Species Act's definition of 'harm' to exclude habitat destruction, focusing only on direct injury or killing of animals.
• Experts warn the rule could severely weaken protections for endangered species, risking population collapse due to habitat loss.
• Democratic Senators Adam Schiff, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Cory Booker have formally questioned the rule's rationale and whether industry influenced its drafting.
• Environmentalists argue the rule undermines decades of conservation progress and could lead to extinction risks for species like the Florida panther and spotted owl.
• The rule is currently in a 30-day public comment period, with environmental groups preparing legal challenges if it is implemented.