August M
The Trump administration has unveiled a plan to scale back key protections under the Endangered Species Act, proposing changes that would give economic concerns greater weight and remove automatic safeguards for threatened wildlife. Conservation groups warn the move could accelerate habitat loss and push vulnerable species closer to extinction.
A new push to revise the United States’ main wildlife protections has opened a fresh divide between the Trump administration and conservation groups.
At issue is how much economic impact should influence decisions about safeguarding species already under pressure from development and climate change.
Regulatory overhaul
According to CNN, the Interior Department’s Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service have proposed reinstating rules from the first Trump administration that weakened safeguards for vulnerable plants and animals.
A central change would allow economic considerations to play a larger role when determining whether a species qualifies for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
The agencies also want to eliminate the long-standing “blanket rule,” which automatically extended endangered-level protections to species listed as “threatened.”
Property-rights groups had challenged the rule in court, but the case was paused when the previous administration began rewriting it.
Under the new plan, the regulation enters a 30-day public comment period before final approval.
Administration’s defence
Trump officials told CNN the revisions would modernize the act and bring more consistency to federal decisions.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said: “This administration is restoring the Endangered Species Act to its original intent, protecting species through clear, consistent and lawful standards that also respect the livelihoods of Americans who depend on our land and resources.”
Industry groups, including energy and mining developers, have long argued that environmental rules slow down major projects and add heavy compliance costs.
Environmental backlash
Conservation organisations reacted sharply. Defenders of Wildlife senior attorney Jane Davenport said the proposal could erase decades of progress for species struggling to recover.
Environmental advocates also insisted that the public broadly supports strong protections. Earthjustice attorney Kristen Boyles said, “Trump’s attacks on the Endangered Species Act seriously misread the room.
Most people are not going to allow the sacrifice of our natural world to a bunch of billionaires and corporate interests,” notes CNN
What comes next
CNN reported that once the public comment process concludes, the agencies can move to finalise the rules — a step that is expected to draw further legal challenges from environmental groups.
Sources: CNN.
