Endangered Species Act Updates!
Since 1973, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has been America's cornerstone conservation law, helping bring species like the Bald Eagle, Gray Wolf, Florida Panther, and Grizzly Bear back from the brink of extinction. This past Earth Day, we celebrated the withdrawal of H.R. 1897, a bill that would have gutted the ESA by weakening habitat protections, limiting consideration of future threats, and creating new barriers to protecting imperiled wildlife.
That victory was short-lived. The current federal administration has now finalized a rule that weakens ESA enforcement by narrowing the definition of "harm." For decades, the law protected not only animals themselves but also the habitats they need to survive. Under the new rule, logging, mining, drilling, and other development can move forward as long as protected animals are not directly killed or injured, even if their habitat is degraded.
The attacks don't stop there. Another proposal would shift Grizzly Bear management to the states, allowing state-authorized removals while the species remains listed under the ESA. (A public comment period on this proposal is currently open.) In addition, two more ESA rules have been finalized: one rescinds the long-standing blanket protections automatically applied to newly listed, threatened species, and another makes it easier for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to exclude critical habitat from protection based on economic—not biological—considerations.
The stakes could not be higher. Protecting wildlife and the habitats they depend on requires constant vigilance. Now more than ever, we must continue fighting to defend the Endangered Species Act.