Trump slashes wildlife protections, putting endangered California animals at risk
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Set us as preferred The Trump administration finalized a rollback of the Endangered Species Act on Friday, paving the way for drilling, mining and other human development across protected wildlife habitats.The move redefines “harm” under the Endangered Species Act, the landmark conservation law that protects threatened and endangered plants and animals.For years, “harm” meant actions that injure or kill wildlife, as well as actions that destroy protected habitats.
Under the new rule, destroying those habitats is no longer illegal.The decision aligns with the Trump administration’s ongoing effort to slash regulations in the name of economic growth.Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Department of the Interior, which finalized the move, said the prior definition of harm “interfered with private property rights” and “turned routine activity into a regulatory trap.”Environmental groups called the decision a disaster, saying it puts protected species on a path to extinction.The move seems especially poised to hit California, the most biodiverse state in the country, where more than 6,700 species are spread across mountains, forests, deserts and oceans.
Of the roughly 2,300 species protected by the Endangered Species Act, nearly 300 are found in California.These species include amphibians such as tiger salamanders and Yosemite toads; birds such as California condors and northern spotted owls; fish such as Little Kern golden trout and Santa Ana suckers; insects such as Franklin’s bumble bees and Mission blue butterflies; mammals such as gray wolves and Santa Catalina Island foxes; and reptiles such as desert tortoises and green sea turtles.Climate & Environment The California company Cadiz has been trying for years to pipe water out of the Mojave Desert.
The Trump administration has approved a pipeline plan that a...