Trump cancels protections for animals threatened with extinction

Key Points:

• The Trump administration has rescinded a rule that automatically protected species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, requiring instead individualized protection plans that could delay safeguards and allow exemptions for industries like oil, gas, and mining.
• Critics argue this change will hinder conservation efforts for species such as monarch butterflies and alligator snapping turtles, while Interior Secretary Doug Burgum contends the move reduces regulatory burdens and prioritizes species recovery over expanding the list.
• A new rule mandates economic impact analyses when designating critical habitats, raising concerns that corporate interests may influence decisions to permit development in vital areas for threatened species.
• These policy shifts follow earlier deregulations under Trump’s first term, including exempting Gulf of Mexico oil drilling from the Act and narrowing definitions of harm to species, with some changes reversing Biden-era protections.
• The administration is also transferring more wildlife management authority to states, exemplified by plans to give states greater control over grizzly bear management, reflecting longstanding Republican priorities.