Oct 26, 2021 - Energy & Climate

Fish and Wildlife to rescind 2 Trump-era endangered species rules

Jacob Knutson

The Red-legged frog, which is listed as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in a pond in Yosemite Valley in May 2019. — The red-legged frog, which is listed as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in a pond in Yosemite Valley in May 2019. Photo: Lisa M. Krieger/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images

The Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service announced Tuesday they will rescind two Trump administration regulations that changed the definition of a habitat and limited protections of certain plants and animals.

Why it matters: It's part of the Biden administration's broad rollback of many Trump-era rule changes to the Endangered Species Act and conservation efforts in general.

What they're saying: “The Endangered Species Act is one of the most important conservation tools in America and provides a safety net for species that are at risk of going extinct,” said Shannon Estenoz, assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

“If finalized, today’s proposed actions will bring the implementation of the Act back into alignment with its original intent and purpose – protecting and recovering America’s biological heritage for future generations," she added.

The big picture: The revision is the result of an executive order from President Biden that directed all federal agencies to review their actions to ensure they are consistent with his administration's conservation policies.

The agencies said the conservation purposes from the Endangered Species Act were better met by previous rules rather than the Trump administration's changes that were finalized in December 2020.

Go deeper: U.S. declares more than 20 species extinct after exhaustive searches

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Fish and Wildlife to rescind 2 Trump-era endangered species rules

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