U.S. cancels automatic protections for imperiled animals as critics warn of extinctions

Key Points:

• Opponents argue recent changes to the Endangered Species Act will hinder protection efforts for vulnerable species like monarch butterflies and alligator snapping turtles by making it harder to secure federal protections.
• Interior Secretary Doug Burgum criticized the Act for stalling projects, raising costs, and weakening national security, emphasizing that success should be measured by species recovery and delisting rather than adding species to the list.
• New rules require economic impact analysis when designating critical habitats, prompting concerns from environmentalists who fear this could allow corporations to prioritize development over species preservation.
• The Trump administration has rolled back several protections reinstated by the Biden administration, including narrowing definitions of harm to species and reducing critical habitat designations, while also shifting more wildlife management authority to states.
• Despite these changes, the Endangered Species Act remains credited with recovering species like the bald eagle, though Republican officials seek faster delisting once species have recovered.