Trump administration faces lawsuits over change to Endangered Species Act : NPR

Key Points:

• The Trump administration has redefined the term "harm" in the Endangered Species Act (ESA), removing the long-standing interpretation that included significant habitat modification or degradation as harm to protected species.
• This change, effective September 14, aims to reduce regulatory burdens on landowners and industries but has sparked lawsuits from environmental groups and Indigenous tribes concerned about the impact on endangered species' habitats.
• Critics argue that excluding habitat destruction from the definition of harm undermines the core purpose of the ESA, as habitat loss is a primary driver of species extinction.
• The legal debate traces back to a 1995 Supreme Court ruling that upheld habitat modification as harm under the ESA, a precedent now challenged by the new rule.
• Industry groups such as the American Petroleum Institute support the change, citing the need to cut unnecessary regulations, while environmentalists warn it will lead to confusion, increased litigation, and weakened species protections.