Trump Administration Unveils Controversial Plan to Weaken Wildlife Protections
The Trump administration has revealed a contentious proposal to significantly roll back regulations within the landmark Endangered Species Act (ESA), a move that has sparked immediate alarm among conservation groups and scientists who fear it will dramatically accelerate the extinction crisis.
Unveiled on Wednesday, the proposed changes would grant federal authorities greater power to consider economic impacts when designating critical habitats. Furthermore, the plan would remove crucial safeguards against future threats, including those stemming from the climate crisis. A key protection known as the 'blanket rule,' which automatically grants threatened species the same level of protection as endangered ones, would be rescinded.
Specific Threats to Species and Habitat
Under the new framework, newly listed plants and animals could face years of delays before receiving any protections, as agencies work to create tailored regulations for each species. These delays are expected to be worsened by significant staffing cuts within the responsible government agencies.
The definition of 'critical habitat' would also be narrowed considerably, potentially excluding areas that species do not currently occupy, even if it was historically part of their range and essential for recovery.
Stephanie Kurose, deputy director of government affairs at the Center for Biological Diversity, did not mince words in her assessment. 'This plan hacks apart the Endangered Species Act and creates a blueprint for the extinction for some of America’s most beloved wildlife,' she stated. She explicitly called the proposals 'a death sentence for wolverines, monarch butterflies, Florida manatees and so many other animals and plants that desperately need our help.'
A Broader Pattern and Public Opposition
This proposal is seen as one of many attempts by the Trump administration to dismantle environmental protections to facilitate increased energy extraction and industrial development, even in ecologically sensitive areas.
Administration officials, including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, defended the plan, arguing it would 'reign in expansions' of the ESA and 'respect the livelihoods of Americans who depend on our land and resources.'
This move comes amid a global extinction emergency. A 2019 assessment from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) found that roughly 1 million species are threatened with extinction. The proposal appears to run counter to broad public sentiment in the US; a 2023 poll found that 80% of registered voters support full funding of the ESA.
A 30-day public comment period for the new proposal is set to open, and environmental advocates are preparing for a significant response, similar to the over 357,000 comments submitted against a previous Trump administration proposal to limit the ESA.
