Trump's Modification Of Endangered Species Act Will Allow Harm To Habitats
The Trump administration has finalized a rule narrowing the definition of 'harm' under the Endangered Species Act, a move intended to reduce regulatory burdens on landowners. Conservationists argue this change will facilitate habitat destruction and undermine the protection of vulnerable species.
Why it matters
This policy shift represents a significant change in environmental regulation, balancing economic development against long-term ecological preservation.
President Donald Trump's administration on Friday finalised a rule narrowing the definition of "harm" under the Endangered Species Act, in a move conservationists warned could open the door to widespread habitat destruction.The Department of the Interior and the Department of Commerce framed the change as returning the law to its original intent, ending what they called years of overreach."For years, federal agencies abused the ESA to obstruct lawful land use and burden American families and businesses," said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in a statement."That approach turned routine activity into a regulatory trap, drove up costs that impacted people's lives, and expanded federal authority beyond what Congress intended.
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