The Feds No Longer Protect Endangered Species Habitat; States Say They Can’t Pick up the Slack
The rule leaves habitat destruction outside the Endangered Species Act’s explicit harm definition, a shift critics say could weaken species protections and permit reviews.
- Earlier this month, the administration determined that destroying the habitat of threatened or endangered species is no longer explicitly illegal under the Endangered Species Act.
- Following the 2024 overturning of the Chevron doctrine, courts no longer defer to federal agencies on interpreting ambiguous laws, allowing the administration to narrow the definition of 'harm' that had survived a 1995 Supreme Court precedent.
- Secretary of the Interior Department Doug Burgum stated the previous approach created a 'regulatory trap,' claiming the new rule restores common sense and respects private property as Congress intended.
- Critiquing the change, J.B. Ruhl of Vanderbilt University said the interpretation 'really completely blows up the Endangered Species Act,' threatening Habitat Conservation Plans that minimize incidental harm to species.
- Several environmental groups have sued to reinstate the former definition, alleging the rule violates the intent of the ESA; this legal challenge is likely to reach the Supreme Court.
18 Articles
18 Articles
The feds no longer protect endangered species habitat; states say they can’t pick up the slack
The Trump administration is removing protections from the key places where endangered species live, saying states can keep the areas safe. But experts say states aren’t equipped for the task. Earlier this month, the Trump administration finalized a major change to the Endangered Species Act, rolling back protections for the forests, wetlands, deserts and other critical habitats that many plants and animals rely on. The new rule will open many l…
It’s no longer illegal to destroy the one thing endangered species need most to survive
Red-cockaded woodpeckers are among the many federally endangered species that rely on forest habitat for survival. | Jared Lloyd/Getty Images The greatest threat to animals in the US and globally is the destruction of their habitat — replacing grasslands with farms, cutting forests for timber, building suburbs atop wetlands. It’s the main reason why hundreds of species have been listed under the Endangered Species Act, which gives federal prote…
Changes to Endangered Species Act could lead to habitat loss in Arkansas
The Indiana bat, Caddo Mountain salamander and the Winged Mapleleaf are some of the Arkansas animals conservation voices said could be harmed due to changes to the Endangered Species Act. The Trump administration recently rescinded the regulatory definition of the word “harm.” It removes federal protections for the habitats of endangered and threatened species. Jewel Tomasula, national […] The post Changes to Endangered Species Act could lead to…
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