US rolls back automatic protections for imperiled species, sparking extinction fears

The U.S. Interior Department has rolled back automatic protections for imperiled species, a move critics warn could accelerate extinctions. The previous rule, established in 1975 for wildlife and 1977 for plants, offered "blanket protections" to species listed as threatened.

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Success should be measured by species recovery and delisting, not by adding more species to the list.

Under the new policy, these species will only receive protections after individualized plans are developed, a process that can be lengthy and allows for industry exemptions. Environmental groups argue this significantly weakens the Endangered Species Act, making it more difficult to safeguard animals like monarch butterflies and alligator snapping turtles.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated the act had been "used for too long to stop almost any new project in America," increasing costs and undermining national security. He asserted that success should be measured by species recovery, not by adding more to the list. The administration also finalized a rule requiring analysis of economic impacts when determining critical habitat, which opponents fear will allow development in ecologically vital areas.

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If you're exempting certain industries that cause habitat destruction, in many instances you'll be exempting the main threat to those species.

This rollback echoes changes made during the Trump administration that were later reversed by President Joe Biden. However, two groups, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Property and Environment Research Center, sued the Biden administration in 2024, arguing the restored blanket protections unfairly penalized landowners who had made progress in species recovery. They contend the Trump administration's approach better rewards conservation efforts.

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better reward progress and encourage proactive conservation.