U.S. Endangered Species Act revisions trigger legal challenge

The Trump administration revised the Endangered Species Act, changing the definition of “harm,” eliminating the blanket 4(d) rule for threatened species, and requiring economic, national‑security and other impacts to be weighed in critical‑habitat designations. The changes are intended to ease restrictions on energy projects, logging, mining and oil development on public lands.

Conservation groups including Earthjustice, the Sierra Club, the National Parks Conservation Association, the Conservation Council of Hawaii, WildEarth Guardians and Humane World for Animals have filed a notice of intent to sue, warning that the revisions could leave species such as the Florida manatee, pygmy rabbit, Aztec gilia, Clover’s cactus and the Gulf‑of‑Mexico‑endemic Rice’s whale without needed protections. The groups argue the rule‑making weaponizes the Act to favor industry over science and threatens further declines of imperiled wildlife.