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Trump Administration Proposes Rollback of Endangered Species Habitat Protections

The proposed rule would redefine 'harm' under the Endangered Species Act, potentially removing safeguards for habitats critical to species survival.

FILE - A baby manatee swimming beside its mother comes to the surface to breathe, at Manatee Lagoon, in Riviera Beach, Fla., Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)
FILE - Cut down trees are visible at the site of a timber sale in the Tahoe National Forest, June 6, 2023, near Camptonville, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)
“The Wild Couch Party and Friends,” a public art sculpture exhibited in New York City, depicts some of the world’s most endangered animals as the planet experiences its 6th mass extinction, seeks to raise awareness about the human role in these events in New York City, New York, U.S., July 11, 2024. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs

Overview

  • The Trump administration has introduced a draft rule to exclude habitat modification from the definition of 'harm' under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
  • Environmental groups warn that the change could lead to widespread habitat destruction, threatening the survival of vulnerable species like spotted owls and sea turtles.
  • The rule would allow activities such as logging, mining, and development in areas currently protected as critical habitats for endangered species.
  • The proposal challenges decades of legal and scientific precedent, including a 1995 Supreme Court ruling that upheld habitat protection as a key component of the ESA.
  • A 30-day public comment period has been initiated, and conservation organizations plan to file legal challenges if the rule is finalized.