Trump administration seeks to roll back protections for imperiled species and habitat

"The proposed changes include the elimination of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's "blanket rule" that automatically protects animals and plants when they are classified as threatened."

""We would have to wait until these poor animals are almost extinct before we can start protecting them. That's absurd and heartbreaking," said Stephanie Kurose with the Center for Biological Diversity."

"Other pending proposals from the administration would revise the definition of "harm" under the Endangered Species Act and potentially bypass species protections for logging projects in national forests and on public lands."

The administration proposed rolling back Endangered Species Act regulations, including elimination of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's "blanket rule" that automatically protects newly listed threatened species. Agencies would need to craft species-specific protections, a process that can take years. The move aligns with longstanding calls from Republican lawmakers and industries such as oil and gas, mining and agriculture for narrower application of the law. Proposals also include revising the definition of "harm" and allowing potential bypasses of species protections for certain logging projects on public lands. Accelerating habitat loss and other pressures make timely protections more urgent.

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