Trashed by Trump, habitat protections for endangered species get new life
Wolves, whooping cranes and other species that depend on critical habitat designations to survive and flourish got a boost Tuesday with the announcement that a pair of rules pushed through during final days of the Trump administration do not fall in line with the Endangered Species Act’s conservation goals.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service announced the move in the Federal Register and an accompanying joint statement.
“The Endangered Species Act is one of the most important conservation tools in America and provides a safety net for species that are at risk of going extinct,” Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz explained, adding that the agencies are working to “bring the implementation of the act back into alignment with its original intent and purpose — protecting and recovering America’s biological heritage for future generations.”
Former President Donald Trump had initiated the rollbacks in December 2020 after losing reelection, capping off a record that conservationist groups and wildlife advocates held up as having the fewest number of endangered species listed since President Ronald Reagan.
One of the Trump changes allowed the government to refuse to protect the habitats of endangered species if the area in question proved promising for economic development ...
“While today’s proposals mark an important step toward reversing the damage done by the Trump administration, many ESA rollbacks remain in place and continue to harm imperiled species, worsening the ongoing biodiversity crisis,” Rebecca Riley, managing director of the Nature Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council said in a statement.
https://www.courthousenews.com/trashed-by-trump-habitat-protections-for-endangered-species-get-new-life/