Environmental groups sue government to stop a big change to the Endangered Species Act
The Trump administration has rescinded a long-standing definition of 'harm' under the Endangered Species Act, which previously included habitat modification. Environmental groups have filed a lawsuit to block the change, arguing it threatens the survival of protected species.
Why it matters
This shift significantly alters federal wildlife protection standards and could lead to increased land development at the expense of critical habitats.
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By altering the interpretation of a single word in the Endangered Species Act, the Trump administration has made what could be a sweeping change to how wildlife is protected in the United States.
That word is "harm." For more than 50 years, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service defined harm to refer to anything that injures or kills a protected organism, including "significant habitat modification or degradation" that might impact a species' ability to feed, reproduce or seek shelter.
But now, the federal government has officially rescinded that definition — a move that is already being challenged in court.
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