Federal rule change removes habitat protections for endangered species
9 reported
The Trump administration has finalized a major change to the Endangered Species Act, rolling back protections for critical habitats such as forests, wetlands and deserts. The new rule, announced July 10 by the federal departments of Interior and Commerce, rescinds the longstanding definition of “harm” under the act. Under the revised definition, only actions that directly injure or kill animals will be considered a violation, rather than actions that destroy the resources species require. Federal officials framed the decision as giving “freedom” to state leaders to manage wildlife without burdensome regulations. However, wildlife officials in both conservative and liberal states expressed strong concerns, saying the change would threaten their conservation plans. Legal experts and wildlife veterans say most states lack laws to prevent habitat destruction, and state wildlife agencies are already underfunded. A coalition of environmental groups and tribal nations have filed lawsuits challenging the rollback.
What’s reported
The Trump administration finalized a rule on July 10 rescinding the definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act.
The new rule limits “harm” to actions that directly injure or kill animals, not habitat destruction.
Federal officials said states can continue protecting habitats under state law.
Wildlife officials from Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, New Jersey, North Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming and the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies expressed concern.
Only Alaska’s wildlife agency leader offered wholehearted support for the change.
A 2019 study found that 81% of species added to the endangered list from 1975 to 2017 faced habitat loss, while 17% faced direct killing.
Only eight states plus Puerto Rico require critical habitat designations under state law, according to a 2024 analysis.
California appears to be the only state with a process to account for habitat damage and require offsets.
Environmental groups and two Washington state tribes have filed lawsuits challenging the rule.
Key figures
Robert Anderson, former solicitor for the Department of the Interior during the Biden administration
Karrigan Börk, law professor and director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis Institute of the Environment
Jane Davenport, senior attorney at Defenders of Wildlife
Bruce Kreft, chief of the conservation and communications division with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department
Chris Verheen, former grizzly bear recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Becca Madsen, restoration economy director with the Environmental Policy Innovation Center
Kate Groetzinger, communications director with the Center for Western Priorities
Sources: stateline.org
