In a blatant attempt to weaken the rule of law, the Administration has proposed several changes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that, if passed, would cause immense harm to the nation’s most imperiled wildlife, including wolves, grizzly bears, and other carnivores.
The two agencies involved, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service, are clear about why they’re doing this: to open even more of the nation’s lands and waters to oil and gas, logging, and development projects.
One of the key proposals would allow the agencies to consider economic interests when deciding whether to list or keep a species on the ESA rather than relying solely on solid science and data. It would also limit the definition of “critical habitat” to places where a species currently live, effectively excluding consideration of historic and potential homes. And the definition of “future” threats would be changed, sidelining analysis of long-term threats like climate change and land development to species that must migrate to survive.
With this proposal, the Administration is trying to turn back the clock on science and the progress made over the last 50 years in saving hundreds of species and millions of acres of habitat. It also ignores the fact that a large majority of Americans want stronger protections for wildlife and the environment, which benefits everyone—not more harm to wildlife and nature so a few can profit.
Please voice your opposition by submitting a comment by December 22, telling the agency to retain strong protections for the nation’s imperiled wildlife and the places they call home!
You can view the full proposal on economic considerations and critical habitat, available here. We encourage your original comments, but you can also reference this text.
Together, we can make it clear that Americans will not allow decades of conservation progress to be undone. Your voice truly matters—please take a moment today to stand up for wolves, grizzlies, and all the animals that rely on the Endangered Species Act for survival.
